


Pearl of the Wild

by AconiteWolfsbane



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Multi, and an au, based on a picture I saw ages ago, of Pearl dressed as Link from botw, tis a crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 64
Words: 151,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24698014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AconiteWolfsbane/pseuds/AconiteWolfsbane
Summary: Steven Universe crossover with Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.The SU gang end up in Hyrule, and Pearl-centric with random shipping is about all that I'll say about it.Oh, and it will contain some coarse language.The slowest of burns.Story is complete, I just need to submit it all. I'll upload 1 or 2 new chapters every weekend.
Relationships: Amethyst/Pearl (Steven Universe), Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Crystal Gems & Connie Maheswaran, Crystal Gems & Steven Universe
Comments: 34
Kudos: 54





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> What if this image really happened?  
> 
> 
> Image credit is to CubedCoconut.  
> This is one of their... safer... images... Most of their tumblr is nsfw, so I'm reluctant to post a link.  
> If they decide that they don't want the image here, please let them know to contact me, and I'll remove it ASAP.
> 
> Anyway, I saw that image, and then went and played botw. This idea got into my head, and it was just "Ugh, damned plot bunnies want me to write this, don't they?  
> A week later, I had several thousand words already written.
> 
> I worked on this for months, as you'll see if you look at my works in progress submission. There's still a bit here and there that I'm unsure about, but ugh... I just want it over with already.

In the darkness, three torches sprung to life, each burning brightly with a differently coloured flame in red, blue and green. In the darkness just beyond them, shadowy figures lurked. As they each stepped forwards into the ring of flames, they were revealed to be women, each dressed in a coloured robe. 

The woman in blue spoke. < ** _I sense that She is weakening. It won’t be long before her strength gives way, and He regains his strength. What of the Hero?_** >   
< ** _He is still sleeping._** > The woman in green sighed. < ** _He... may not awaken in time._** >   
The final woman, her red hair almost appearing to be made of flames, frowned. < ** _We can simply wake him earlier than_** ** _planned_** ** _..._** >   
< ** _That would be unwise._** > The blue-cloaked woman shook her head. < ** _If his wounds are not fully healed, he could fall once again. This time, there will be no hope. That... Beast, will triumph._** >   
The woman in green glanced between her sisters. < ** _There may be another option._** >   
They paused. < ** _Go on,_** ** _Farore_** ** _._** >

< ** _There is another who fulfils the criteria for the Hero. Who is of the same bloodline as the Hero, and possesses great_** ** _power._** ** _However, she may be... reluctant._** >   
The woman in blue gasped. < ** _You cannot mean..._** >   
< ** _Yes._** > Farore nodded. < ** _She left this land long ago, to another realm. As we are all well aware, her people gain great longevity when they leave our lands. I have been able to locate her new realm. She is still alive, we need only to summon her._** >   
The woman in red stamped a foot angrily, and the flames around them flared brightly. < ** _You cannot be_** **serious** ** _!_** ** _Nayru_** ** _, tell her how-how_** **ridiculous** ** _this is! Even if she is still_** **somehow** ** _capable of wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness, she won’t agree to fight her own-_** >   
< **Din!** >Nayru glared. < **Enough** ** _._** ** _Farore_** ** _is right. Even though I also have my doubts, this is still the_** **only** ** _viable option we have. We must summon her, or Hyrule is doomed._** >

Din crossed her arms and muttered. < ** _Fine. But I agree only under protest._** >   
< ** _Noted._** > Nayru nodded before she turned to Farore. < ** _I also agree._** >   
Farore nodded gratefully. < ** _Thank you. I have need of your power. She is in a distant realm. I cannot summon her by my power alone._** > She held out a hand, and after a moment, Nayru grasped it. They both turned to look at Din, each with a hand outstretched.   
Din sighed. < ** _Well, we can always rebuild Hyrule from the ashes..._** > she took hold of their hands. 

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“ **Wow, you sure** **ya** **got everything?** ” The short purple woman smirked at the large backpacks on the coffee table in front of the two young teens. “ **Food? Clothes? The kitchen sink’s over there, you forget to pack it or something?** ”   
Connie rolled her eyes and smiled. “ **No, we ran out of room, so sadly, we have to leave it behind.** ” she snarked as Steven chuckled and closed the final zip on his weathered and scuffed cheeseburger themed backpack.   
“ **Amethyst, leave them alone.** ” A tall thin woman with a pointed nose walked by. “ **There’s nothing wrong with being prepared for anything.** ” she smiled as she opened the nearby door, one of the gems embedded on the star glowing briefly as the door split open.   
Amethyst shrugged, a clump of her long lavender hair slipping from her shoulder, as Pearl went into the room beyond the door. “ **Dibdab** **, or whatever.** ” She held up her hand, the fingers split apart with two on each side.   
Steven laughed. “ **Amethyst! That’s the wrong one!** ”   
She looked at her hand again as Pearl returned, the door opening differently. A tall woman with a square-cut afro was behind her, and they glanced at Amethysts hand as they waited nearby.   
Amethyst grinned. “ **Nanoo** **nanoo** **?** ”   
Garnet snorted. “ **Indeed.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face. “ **Well, if the peanut gallery is finished, we still have a mission. Is everyone ready to go?** ”   
“ **Yes Pearl!** ” came the chorus of voices as the kids shouldered their bags. 

As the group made its way to the small blue platform towards the back of the house, a bright white orb appeared before them. They paused, staring at it in shock.   
“ **What the** ** _blazes_** **is that?!** ” Pearl muttered.   
Suddenly, the orb seemed to expand, filling their visions with white. 

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As their visions cleared, they found themselves floating in darkness. Pearl moved closer to the two young teens, eyes darting around the space cautiously.   
A green coloured torch lit up nearby, and as they turned towards it, a womans’ voice came from the darkness beyond. < ** _Pearl of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** >   
Pearl gasped, and clutched at Garnets arm.   
“ **Pearl, what’s wrong?** ” Amethyst asked, her eyes darting back towards the torch. “ **You understand this chick?** ”   
< ** _You have been summoned here as you are the only one capable of fighting the darkness that has overtaken Hyrule._** >

The scene around them changed, and suddenly they found themselves hovering above a battlefield. Men and machines battled below, and as the spider-like machine scuttled across the walls, one turned, it’s singled eye glowing red as it prepared to fire a laser. 

< ** _Long ago, a great evil overcame the land. One that you yourself were familiar with._** >   
Pearl’s eyes darted, taking in the chaos beneath them as it changed. Now, the shaped of a tall red-haired man was visible through flames, and Pearl whimpered slightly.   
< ** _This beast was defeated by the Princess of Light and the Hero of Time who bared the Sword That Seals the Darkness._** >   
Two figures appeared behind him, one holding a sword, the other, a bow with a single glowing arrow. 

< **The final blow did not end his life, nor his dark ambitions** >   
Pearl eyes widened. < ** _What?! But... My... He died. I saw..._** >   
The others glanced at each other as Pearl started to speak the same strange language. Garnet shrugged, just as confused.   
< ** _He was sealed away in another realm, and returned to threaten Hyrule many times. Many times, He returned. Many times, He was defeated by a new Hero._** >   
The scene returned to the battle, and they watched as the machines fired indiscriminately at everything that moved.   
< ** _Thousands of years ago, He appeared in a new form. One which became known only as Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >   
A large glowing red beast appeared, roaring soundlessly.   
< ** _The Hero and the Princess sealed him away yet again. Yet, it was prophesied that He would return in ten thousand years. This came to pass. Once again, the Hero and the Princess rose up to fight him. They... failed._** >   
The scene changed to a young blonde woman holding an injured young man as fires raged around them. It changed again to show the young man being placed onto a strange bed-like device by two others as another stood nearby to activate the machine.   
< ** _The Hero was placed into a chamber to sleep and recover. It was hoped that he would do so quickly, regain his strength, and return to the fight. The Princess returned to her castle to face Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _alone. She has held him in place for these past one hundred years._** >

The voice seemed to sigh. < ** _The Princess is growing ever weaker. If her strength fails,_** ** _Ganon_** ** _will destroy Hyrule in its entirety. It is feared that the Hero will not awaken in time. Only one with the blessing of Courage can save Hyrule now. You are the only one who can help us now._** >   
Pearl shook her head wildly. < **No** ** _! Are you_** **crazy** ** _?! Do you even_** **realise** ** _what you’re asking me to_** **do** ** _?!_** >   
< ** _Yes, I am aware._** ** _However_** ** _... As Goddesses, we possess the power to see through the mists of time. We saw a timeline where the Hero of Time had failed. The_** ** _Triforce_** ** _of Courage returned to the Sacred Land, where_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _quickly claimed it for himself._** > the scenes changed to show the shadowy figure of the hero falling, the Triforce leaving his body and Ganondorf claiming it with a smirk. < ** _The Princess of Light was forced to surrender her_** ** _Triforce_** ** _of Wisdom to protect her people, and to remain hidden, disguised as a young_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _male. Fully empowered by the completed_** ** _Triforce_** ** _,_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _raged across the land. After five years, an unlikely new hero arose._** >   
Pearl gasped as the images change to show herself picking up a blue hilted sword, and the flash of light as the Triforce appeared on her hand.   
Beside her, the others glanced at her, confused. 

< ** _With guidance from the disguised Princess and her loyal guard, The Sage of Shadow, you completed the tasks necessary to weaken your father. The Princess and the Sages were then able to seal him away in the Sacred Land, finally allowing Hyrule the chance to rebuild._** > the scenes changed once again to show Pearl handing the sheathed sword to a young blonde woman. < ** _You refused recognition for your deeds, choosing to return to the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _lands. You fostered true trade relations with the peoples of Hyrule, aided by the Princesses and the Sages remembrance of your heroism. You lived out your days with your people, being considered one of the greatest_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _leaders to have ever existed._** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _You think that my actions in... in another timeline, thousands of years ago, mean anything now?_** >   
< ** _As was then, is now. Time is cyclic. As your father rises from the ashes again and again, so to shall a hero rise to defeat him. And when that hero is unable to fulfil his duty... You shall rise. Your discovery of your new realm was certainly an accident, but was indeed fortuitous, for it allows you to still be alive today. You are the only one who is capable of saving Hyrule now._** >   
Pearl glanced at the others, who were looking concerned. < ** _At least send them back to their world._** >   
< ** _I have only enough power remaining to send you to begin your journey._** >   
< ** _Wait!_** > Pearl called as the green flame flickered out.   
As the group stood, confused, the green flame appeared again, leaping from one torch to the next, spreading and surrounding them. As they drew closer, and the group huddled together fearfully, Pearl sighed. < ** _Fuck._** >

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, Pearl said fuck! Call the meme police! 
> 
> Pearl is the only one who speaks any of the languages of Hyrule, so the others didn’t understand a word of what just happened. 
> 
> Of course, Pearl said fuck in Hyrulean, so the others don’t know it.


	2. Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is long and very talkytalky. I’m basically getting as much back-story out of the way as possible. 
> 
> I’ve changed a few details of both the Zeldaverse and SU canons slightly to make this work, sorrynotsorry. 

When the flames faded, they blinked and squinted, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the sudden gloom. Pearl leaned against a nearby pedestal and buried her face in her arms. “ **Oh, I don’t want to do this...** ” she muttered, her hands smoothing her hair back to reveal long pointy ears.   
As Connie’s eyes adjusted, she looked around, staring at the strange device they were shown earlier. Inside, the young man still slept, the water around him swishing slightly as he breathed deeply. As she opened her mouth, a bright flash of light caught everyone's attention. They watched as a bright golden triangle shone brightly from the sleeping boy’s left hand and suddenly faded.   
“ **What was** ** _that_** **?!** ” Amethyst breathed.   
There was another flash of light, and they stared as the triangle appeared on the back of Pearl’s right hand. She sighed deeply. “ **Just a standard run-of-the-mill magical object of destiny. The place is full of them... Don’t touch anything.** ” She stood and glanced around, eyes falling on the small pedestal she had been leaning against. “ **And here’s another one...** ” she sighed. 

Glancing back at the sleeping young man, she shrugged and reached out, taking the small device from the pedestal. This apparently unlocked the nearby door, as it slid open with a small noise. Examining it, she noticed a small leather holster hanging nearby. Shaking her head, she reached out and put it on, slipping the device into it.   
“ **Pearl, what’s going on?!** ” Amethyst called. “ **Who was the voice, what was that crazy talking you were doing, what’s with the dead guy?!** ” she poked a thumb over her shoulder. “ **And while I'm at it... What the** ** _hell_** **?!** ” she stared at her hand, the skin now dark brown with a purplish tint.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **It’s... a very long story... I suppose I have no choice... Sit down, this will take a while...** ”   
As the group got settled, Pearl fidgeted nervously. “ **Well, do you want me to start from the absolute beginning, or just from the part where I came in?** ”   
Connie raised her hand. “ **Is the beginning important to what’s going on? Or is it something that we’ll need to know eventually, and should get out of the way?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It plays a large role in understanding later events. It also answers the question of who that voice was.** ”   
Glancing around at the others, Connie nodded. “ **The beginning, please.** ”   
Pearl nodded and sat down in front of them. “ **Okay. Let's see how much of this I even remember...** ” 

“ **This is the tale of the creation of the land of Hyrule, and of its people. In the beginning, before time, spirits and life existed, there was Chaos. The Golden Goddesses came down from the heavens and built upon that Chaos a land. Each infused the land with their own powers. Din, the Goddess of power, fire, and earth, created the land itself. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, water in all of its forms and the winds, gave the land it’s flowing rivers, a vast sea, and gave law and order to the world. The laws of magic that govern the land came from her. Farore, the goddess of courage, life and the vast forest, created life. Everything from the fish in the sea to the birds in the air and the peoples that roamed the land, she created. When they were done, they had created a land so infused with magic that it almost glowed. They called this land Hyrule.** ”   
Connie’s eyes were wide. “ **Okay, when you said the absolute beginning, I... wasn’t expecting that far back.** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It will probably be important for you to know the story.** ” she shook her head. “ **Where was... Oh yes.** ” 

“ **Once their work was completed, they supposedly left Hyrule for their own world. But before they departed, they left behind a symbol of their power, called the Triforce. It balances the forces of courage, wisdom and power, but it’s honestly more of a cursed object, that has caused untold chaos and destruction...** ” Pearl frowned. “ **The voice you heard... Judging by the green flame, I’d say it was Farore herself. Green’s usually associated with her.** ”   
“ **Whoa... Wait, you were talking with an actual goddess?!** ” Amethyst whistled. “ **What were you talking about anyways?** ”   
Pearl ran a hand down her face. “ **It’s... complicated. I should... explain...** ” she paused for a moment, and finally released a breath. “ **This is the part I was dreading... I’m... not actually a Gem...** ” she sighed. “ **I’m Hyrulean. This is my world.** ” 

A silence fell over the room. Pearl nervously glanced around at them.   
Amethyst groaned. “ **Waitwaitwait... You can summon a weapon, shapeshift and regenerate... How are you** ** _not_** **a Gem?!** ”   
Pearl smiled faintly. “ **I’m getting to that... I should probably start with this...** ” She sighed and raised the edge of her top, and they gasped as a belly button came into view. “ **I... usually keep this covered up, to avoid questions... Gems don’t have one... But, I’m not a Gem. Not originally, anyway...** ”   
Steven held up a hand. “ **Wait... if you have a belly button... then... You have** ** _parents_** **?!** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No. They're both long dead. But, I was born, yes. There’s... a story. It's a bit... odd, in places, and extremely unpleasant in others, but... I suppose it’s time I told the truth. It's a long story though, so please try to keep the interruptions to a minimum...** ”   
  
Pearl took a deep breath. “ **You see, with my people, the Gerudo, there’s only one boy born every hundred years. He’s automatically declared the King of the Gerudo when he comes of age. Because of the lack of men, Gerudo women have to leave the town to go out and find a husband. Obviously not something I was ever interested in doing...** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Years before I was born, there was a war between the races of Hyrule. It was too dangerous for anyone to leave the town, so no Gerudo were born until after the war was over. One of the last born shortly before that war started... was my father... His name... was Ganondorf.** ”   
Amethyst opened her mouth, but Pearl raised a finger in warning. “ **It’s a good Gerudo name, and I’d thank you not to comment on it.** ”   
Amethyst shut her mouth quickly.   
“ **By the time the war was over, he had been declared the Gerudo King.** ”   
“ **Wait, you’re a** ** _princess_** **?!** ” Connie gasped as Steven’s eyes sparkled.   
Pearl blushed. “ **Uhhh. My father was the King, so technically, yes. Anyway, once the war was over, it was safe for the Gerudo to leave the valley to find husbands. Or in my father's case, a wife. You see, most of the Gerudo women were his sisters, cousins, aunts... You get the idea. Anyway, he found a nice Hylian, had me. She died, so he brought me back to the valley.** ”   
Steven quickly scrambled forwards and gave her a hug. “ **That’s so sad!** ”   
Pearl awkwardly returned the hug. “ **Not really. I never knew her, so I didn’t really feel anything about her. I had plenty of aunts to fill the gap anyway...** ” she half-shrugged as she pushed Steven back to his seat. 

“ **Anyway, when I was young, around four, my father travelled to meet with the King of Hyrule. Well, Hylians tend to think they’re in control of everything. So even though we had our own king, we were still ultimately under the control of the Hylian king. My father wanted to meet with him to discuss the treatment of the Gerudo people.** ” she sighed.   
“ **You see, each of the races controls a different part of Hyrule. The Zora have the rivers and the sea. The Gorons controls the mountains. The Kokiri live with the Deku Tree in the forest. The Hylians had the plains. My people lived in the desert. In fact, the other races referred to our lands as the Wastelands. Literally, the lands that no-one else wanted. We had no resources, unless you really like sand...** ” she huffed. “ **We had to trade with the other races to get the things we needed to survive. But, most of them insisted on asking for things that they knew very well that we didn’t have. Wood, when we had no trees. Grains, when we had no fertile ground for crops... This is why a past Gerudo king decided that if they weren’t going to play fair, then we wouldn’t either. The Gerudo people became thieves. We raided merchant caravans, took what we needed, and if we didn’t need something? We stole it anyway and sold it back to them.** ” she shrugged. “ **It was the only way we could survive.** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **My father was willing to stop this, in exchange for fairer treatment. But when he approached the Hylian king about it, he was laughed at. In a rage... my father killed the king of Hyrule, and took control of the kingdom for the Gerudo people.** ” 

The group fell silent, staring at her. “ **Your dad... killed him?** ” Connie whispered.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **My bloodline tends to have, well, a pretty fierce temper. Garnet can attest to mine.** ” she paused as Garnet immediately nodded. “ **My father simply didn’t like being laughed at.** ” she shrugged. “ **Before I knew it, I was being summoned to live at the castle.** ”   
“ **Wait... you were a princess before that. Didn't you already...** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Gerudo** **royalty is more... hands-on, than most. We lived in a regular** **Gerudo** **home, just with fancier things. I learned horseback riding and archery with the other girls. I wasn’t really treated any differently to them. Well, unless I got in a fight with someone. Then they’d be punished. No-one wanted to tell my father that I'd been misbehaving, so I pretty much got away with** ** _everything_** **.** ” she grinned.   
Connie smirked. “ **You were a spoiled little daddy’s princess, weren’t you?** ”   
Pearl laughed. “ **Oh yes. Of the** ** _worse_** **kind.** ” she chuckled. “ **He even arranged for a special horse to be raised for me. I never got it, of course. Some boy stole her from the ranch a week before I was to get her...** ” she frowned. “ **I mean, I got her back, eventually, but still... that jerk.** ” 

Pearl sighed and shook her head. “ **Anyway... My father took control of Hyrule. Thing is... remember that Triforce I mentioned earlier? Well, it was known that the Hylian royal family had control over that, and it was considered a symbol of their power. They even had it on their coat of arms! My father thought that the best way to cement his reign was to get control over it...** ” she sighed deeply. “ **The thing is, if your heart isn’t in balance... It latched on to the ambition he had to make a better life for his people. The part of the Triforce that symbolised power... It became part of him.** ” she held up her hand, the triangle still glowing faintly. “ **He had one just like this, but a different part of it. It corrupted that ambition, turned it into a... a blind** **_lust_ ** **for power and control... and genocide of the other races.** ” she shook her head. “ **I was just a child. Too young to understand what was going on. Too selfish to care about anything, as long as I got my way...** ” 

“ **After seven years, a young man... he looked a lot like that guy, actually...** ” She stood and walked over to the machine, staring down at the sleeping young man. “ **Yeah... He was dressed in green, like a** **Kokiri** **kid, but...** ” she shook her head, slightly dazed. “ **He stole my horse, made it to the** **Gerudo** **valley, and killed my grandmothers.** ”   
“ **What?!** ” Steven gasped. “ **Why’d he** **do** **that?!** ”   
Pearl turned back to him and shrugged. “ **Ehh** **, to be fair to him, they were evil. I'm pretty certain that they killed my mother.** ” she walked back, sat back down and glanced at their shocked expressions. “ **Uhh** **, they weren’t actually my grandmothers. For starters, they were twin sisters. They just... raised my father since he was young. I guess they killed his actual mother as well, to gain control of the future king. They scared the life out of me. Miserable old witches...** ” she muttered. “ **But, anyway... After that, he showed up at the castle, and fought with my father.** ” Pearl looked away. “ **After the battle, the castle started to collapse. I ran through some secret passages that I'd found years before whilst exploring the castle. I got outside just in time to see that guy put his sword through my father’s skull. It was my eleventh birthday.** ” 

As they stared in silent horror, Pearl sighed. “ **When the guy and Princess Zelda saw I was there, they started to approach me. My stolen horse was nearby, so I leapt on her and ran back to the** **Gerudo** **Valley. I told everyone what had happened. I don’t know what happened to the guy in green, he disappeared after that.** ” she sighed. “ **My people were lost and unsure about what to do. Even though I was just a kid, I was still next in line, so... I arranged for the bridge to Hyrule field to be repaired. Made sure there were guards around the bridge at all times time prevent anyone coming in to get revenge for anything my father had done. Led raids to collect resources. I pretty much terrorised Hyrule for a few years myself.** ” she chuckled briefly. “ **I’ve been a criminal for** **_far_ ** **longer than six thousand years.** ” 

Pearl sighed. “ **Shortly after I turned sixteen, I was leading a raid on the Hylian castle armoury, to get more weapons, and I got captured. By that point, the rubble of the castle had been mostly removed, so they had access to the dungeons, which I was promptly thrown into. They were going to put me on trial, for doing my best for my people...** ” she sighed. “ **I assure you; it wasn’t going to be a fair trial either. You see, there was going to be a representative from each race, with Princess Zelda acting as the main judge. The representatives? Were basically the spirits of people who had died as a direct result of my father's actions. The called themselves the Six Sages, or some such nonsense...** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **The trial was basically each of them talking about how their people had suffered at the hands of my father, trying to connect my behaviour to him as his heir. They were already calling me the Princess of Evil... I may have been young, but I still knew a kangaroo court when I saw one.** ” she frowned. “ **Okay, I had no idea what a kangaroo was, but I knew I wasn’t going to get a fair trial in** **_any_ ** **sense of the word.** ” 

“ **However, something that they didn’t take into account was the fact that I had spent seven years running around that castle without adult supervision. I'd spent a lot of time playing in the dungeons, and I learned something very important down there.** ” she smiled.   
“ **Which was?** ” Connie leaned forwards.   
“ **It’s common practice for royals to build secret escape tunnels into their dungeons, just in case of a peasant uprising. That way, they can talk with the rebel leader, find out if this is a matter that’s easily resolved, or if execution is on the agenda. If it’s the latter, then it’s out the escape tunnel. There was one in every cell. I only actually found a few of them, but luckily, the cell I was thrown into was one of them. So, I waited until no-one was looking, picked the locks on my shackles and slipped out. I popped up behind the altar at the nearby Temple of Time and ran.** ” she grinned. 

“ **Thing is, when I reached the edge of Hyrule field, I saw a large group of** **Hylian** **soldiers near the entrance to the** **Gerudo** **Valley. I was on foot, and they had horses, so I knew there was no way I'd be able to outrun them... So, I moved to the other side of the field to wait them out.** **But,** **there was a Zora in the river there, and they used a conch shell horn to alert the soldiers. They were coming across the field quickly, and there wasn’t really anywhere to hide, so...** ” her eyes seemed to darken with the memories. “ **I ran into the nearby forest. The** **Kokiri** **children didn’t really trust adults, and I was already this tall, so they didn’t see me as a kid. They threw stones at me, and chased me with sticks. I ran past them into the only safe looking place I could see. Turned out to be the Lost Woods. People disappear in there. Legends say that they turned into monsters.** ” she shrugged. “ **Anyway, I wandered around for a while, maybe a few days. It was... difficult to keep track of time in there...** ” she shook her head. “ **Eventually, I found myself in a clearing with a small waterfall. I hadn’t had anything to drink in days, so I moved towards it immediately, but... I fell through a weak bit of ground, and ended up in some sort of... portal, I guess, that took me to your dimension. I found myself on what I later learned was one of Blue Diamond’s planets. I saw there were others there who look like me, so I blended in with them, and was transported to** **Homeworld** **. A couple of the pearls took me to the Reef, and I hung around there for a while before I found myself assigned to Pink Diamond.** ” 

Steven held up his hand suddenly.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes?** ”   
“ **I thought you were... well, made for Pink Diamond...** ” he asked nervously.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Made to order.** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Actually, very few pearls are made to order. You see, it takes time to make a pearl. Not as long as other Gems, of course, but still. Plus, there’s no real guarantee where a gem’s placement will be. A dozen pearls could be made, and they could all turn out to have their gems located in the wrong spot. Which means more resources have to be used until they get someone who matches.** ” she sighed. “ **And after all of that, there's the Inspection. A series of tests that need to be completed to make sure that there’s no obvious defects that could cause problems. One major flaw, and you have to start over. All of that takes time. And to be perfectly honest with you, most of the Gems who are likely to become the owner of a pearl are impatient** ** _morons_** **.** ” she scoffed. “ **It’s** ** _much_** **easier, and far less wasteful with resources, to just make a lot of pearls in a variety of colours, with an assortment of gem placements. The ones who pass Inspection simply hang around the Reef, where pearls are made, until an order comes in. The records are checked to see if anybody matches the specifications. I was just... the only one who matched what the Diamond’s wanted to give Pink.** ” she shrugged. “ **The sheer** ** _irony_** **being that I was the only pearl who** ** _wasn’t_** **actually made with the essence from any of the Diamonds...** ”   
“ **Yeah, it’s weird how that turned out...** ” Connie mused. 

Pearl shrugged. “ **I don’t know if this only applies to** **Gerudos** **or not, but... When I went to your dimension, I found myself bound by the laws of your dimension. I had a gem-** ” she tapped her forehead. “ **-** **so** **I became a Gem. This was part of the circlet that marked me as the rightful heir of the** **Gerudo** **. It was made of silver, with a pearl in the centre. Once I reached your dimension, this fused with my skin, and I was only able to remove the silver parts. I became a pearl. The name was a hell of a coincidence.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **During my time at the Reef, I learned what pearls could do. Well, first someone had to give me a memory file so that I could learn how to speak Gem... but after that, I learned how to store items inside my gem, project holograms, what to do for regeneration. I still have the outfit I was wearing when I came through stored safely away.** **But,** **I can’t access it right now...** ” she sighed. “ **I’m... As long as we are in Hyrule, we are** ** _all_** **bound by the laws of Hyrule. By** **Nayru’s** **Laws.** ” she glanced at them. “ **So, Gems as a race, as a species, simply do not exist here. I'm back to being** **Gerudo** **. Which is why my ears came back.** ” she huffed, scratching one near the tip.   
Reaching out, she pulled Connie’s sword from its sheath and ran her finger along the edge. “ **And why I can bleed.** ” They stared as a thin line of blood appeared. Pearl handed the sword back and sucked on her finger briefly. Finally, she glanced up at them. “ **Umm... This also means that you’re no longer Gems.** ” she pointed at Garnet, Amethyst and Steven. “ **You have gems, but you’re just... humans now.** ” she shrugged. “ **Which is probably why your colour has changed. Dark purple isn’t a human colour, but a purple tinge does work within** **Nayru’s** **Laws.** **You two have probably grown ears too.** ” she nodded at Amethyst and Garnet. 

As Garnet reached under her thick hair, Connie raised a hand. “ **So** **what does that mean, exactly?** ”   
Pearl shrugged, examining the cut on her finger. “ **We’re mortal. No powers, unless it’s something that can be considered magic under** **Nayru’s** **Laws.** ” she waved a hand, and the thick dust that coated the ground lifted up, sweeping itself into a pile in the far corner of the small cave. “ **I can still do sand too, but that’s about it. In our current state, we have no weapons. We can’t regenerate. We can't shapeshift.** ” she looked at Amethyst. “ **Or fuse and** **unfuse** **.** ” With this, she looked at Garnet. “ **Uh, maybe... My grandmothers actually had fire and ice powers. They were apparently able to fuse together, even though I never witnessed it... But they were immensely powerful witches. You could probably try to see if you can still...** ” she trailed off.   
After a moment, Garnet shook her head. “ **No, I don’t want to risk not being able to be me again... Especially if we're going to be stuck in a new, possibly dangerous world.** ”   
“ **That’s fair.** ” 

“ **Okay, weapons check.** ” Garnet called.   
As everyone concentrated, Connie sat back, watching. Finally, a small flame appeared in Garnet’s left hand, as a burst of cold air came from the right, startling them.   
“ **Well, that’s something.** ” she whispered.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Counts as magic. Or maybe the goddesses decided to let you keep that, as a way to help me.** ”   
“ **Man, this is bunk...** ” Amethyst grumbled, crossing her arms.   
Steven sighed. “ **I’d just gotten the hang of using my powers too...** ”   
Pearl held up her cut finger, fresh blood now seeping through. “ **You could try and see if your healing works on this?** ” she glanced at it. “ **Because really? This still hurts pretty badly. In hindsight, deliberately cutting myself with a sword may** ** _not_** **have been the best idea...** ” she blushed.   
Steven took her hand and licked his lips, giving the cut a small kiss. “ **Come on...** ” he whispered as his eyes closed.   
After a moment, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, Steven’s healing counts as magic. That's good to know.** ”   
He opened his eyes to see her finger, and grinned as he saw the cut had vanished. “ **YES!** ” he threw his fists into the air and pumped them excitedly. 

Connie looked around. “ **So, why are we here?** ” she waved a hand around, indicating the cave in general.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Apparently, when that guy killed my father, he didn’t actually...** ” she groaned. “ **The** **piece of the** **Triforce** **that my father possessed had kept him alive somehow. Instead of dying, he was sealed into another realm. It seems that every so often, he escapes and trashes Hyrule again. There’s always a boy in green who works with the** **Hylian** **princess to stop him. This boy is just the latest one.** ” she pointed to the device behind them where the young man slept peacefully.   
“ **Apparently, the goddesses can see into other timelines. They saw one where the boy died, and my father gained the full power of the** **Triforce** **. After a few years... I** ** _conveniently_** **stumbled upon the guy’s sword, magically left where I could find it, I’d wager, and picked it up. As you saw, this-** ” she held up her right hand, where the triangle still faintly glowed. “ **-then appeared, showing that I had been picked as a sort of... Plan B. I apparently managed to finish all of the leg-work that he didn’t get to do, weakening my father. Zelda and the Sages then managed to seal him away in the Sacred Land. He comes back every so often, and history repeats itself.** ” she sighed. 

“ **One hundred years ago, my father got out again. That beast you saw earlier, when** **Farore** **was talking to me? That... that was him. Or at least, what’s left of him.** ” she sighed heavily. “ **This guy failed to beat him, and got badly injured.** **So** **he was put here to sleep and heal. He's been here ever since. The princess, who’s also called Zelda... The** **Hylian** **princess is traditionally called Zelda... has been locked in magical combat, or something, with my father ever since...** ” she shook her head. “ **But, after a hundred years, she’s getting tired. She’s getting weaker, but Hero boy here hasn’t been showing any signs of waking up anytime soon. I suppose his injuries were far worse than they thought. The goddesses are worried that he’ll be too late to be of any help. If Zelda falls... Hyrule will be destroyed.** ” she sighed. “ **The goddesses decided to summon help.** **Farore** **said that I was the only other person capable of fighting the darkness that threatens Hyrule... Because I had supposedly done so in another timeline...** ” she put her head in her hands. “ **They want me to fight my own father...** ” 

“ **That’s pretty messed up, Pearl.** ” Garnet muttered.   
Pearl laughed. “ **Ya** **think?!** ” Sighing, she glanced over at her oldest friend. “ **Sorry. It’s... it’s been a day... I never wanted to come back here, you know. Falling into your dimension was actually the best thing that ever happened to me. Quite frankly, I was a spoiled** ** _brat_** **before I went to your dimension. Being reduced to nothing more than a** ** _slave_** **for thousands of years taught me humility. If I had stayed here, I would have been expected to find a husband, produce an heir... Obviously, that wasn’t even a** ** _footnote_** **on my plans...** ” she groaned.   
Connie giggled. “ **Something tells me it didn’t even make it into the first draft.** ”   
“ **Nope.** ” Pearl scoffed.   
Amethyst looked around. “ **So, we’re all stuck here then?** ”   
Pearl nodded sadly. “ **I’m sorry, but... Yes. We're stuck. I asked her to at least send you guys home, but...** **Farore** **said that she only had enough power left to send us here. She likely won’t send any of us back until I've done what they want me to do...** ” she shook her head. “ **At the very least, I can handle most of the footwork for this guy. Take care of as much as I can, so that when he wakes up, I can just hand things over to him.** ”   
Connie glanced back at the sleeping man. “ **Uhh** **, how long do you think this is going to take? Because my parents are** **gonna** **freak out if I don’t come home tonight...** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, something tells me that it won't be anytime soon... Hyrule is a pretty large land... But on the bright side, time works differently here in Hyrule. I was able to eventually do the calculations, albeit with the realisation that everyone I had ever met was long dead... Um, let me see if I remember...** **uhh** **...** ” After a moment, Pearl nodded. “ **Yes. One day in Hyrule is only around an hour on Earth.** **So** **we’ve probably already been here a local day, even though it’s only been about an hour for us and everyone back on Earth.** ” 

“ **WHAT?!** ” The group exclaimed.   
Pearl looked taken aback. “ **OH! Err... Well, yes.** **So** **your parents won’t even realise that you’re late getting home for quite some time.** ” she shrugged. “ **Oh, by the way... You’ll notice when we all eventually get tired enough to sleep that it’ll be... rather excessive. Eight hours on Earth is eight days here. And being awake for sixteen hours will be sixteen days.** ” she shook her head. “ **Unless something causes us to stay awake longer.** ” she sighed. “ **When I first arrived in your dimension, I was tired all the time. Because my body was still used to sleeping every fifty minutes or so, but only for around eight minutes at a time. It took some time to adjust, for my body to realise that it no longer needed things like food, water, sleep. It was a kind of... dimensional jet-lag? I suppose that’s one way of putting it...** ” she glanced around at them. “ **The** **same** **thing, in reverse, will likely affect all of us. We could stand in a town or village for, say, an hour, and watch everyone live their lives in high speed around us. They'll go off to bed, get up, work... and wonder why we’re still just standing there, seemingly not affected by the passing of time. For the time being, I think it might be best to avoid telling anybody about our... situation, unless required.** ” she shrugged. “ **Hopefully, it will last long enough for this situation to be resolved. It’ll be annoying having to get used to Earth time again...** ” 

“ **Anyway, once your parents realise that you’re not home yet, they will probably call your phone. We are** ** _well_** **outside any cell tower range, so they won’t get through. They’ll probably call the house next. When no-one picks up, then they’ll call Greg. He'll probably just reassure them that missions can go late sometimes, and tell them not to worry. And after that... Well, it’s a safe bet that they’ll just assume that we all got space-napped again...** ” she rolled her eyes.   
“ **That does happen a lot...** ” Steven sighed.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes. Well, we should probably get a move on. The sooner I get started, the sooner we can go home.** ” she stood and approached the opened door. 

As she led them through the cave, she carefully opened a nearby treasure chest. “ **Ugh, some old clothes. Probably left here for him. Let’s leave them be.** ” she waved them past. “ **Don’t want a naked boy running across the land...** ” she added to their giggled delight.   
On a nearby crate, she spotted a small bag. Shrugging, she grabbed it. “ **I should probably take this though. While we’re here, I can’t put anything into my gem, so I'll need a bag for supplies.** ” she added as she slung it across her body.   
As they came to another door, she spotted another small pedestal nearby. Shrugging, she examined it briefly before removing the small device from her hip and holding it near the pedestal.   
< ** _Authenticating..._** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate confirmed._** >   
As the door slid open, Pearl put the device away. “ **Huh. It seems that Hyrule’s technology has advanced since I was here last.** ”   
After Garnet climbed the small rock, Pearl lifted the others up to her before scrambling up herself. Through the nearby doorway, they saw blue sky, and stepped outside. 

“ **Whoa!** ” Amethyst breathed. As Garnet gave a low whistle of appreciation, the two teens ran forwards, pausing on the edge of the cliff.   
“ **Oh my stars, this is beautiful!** ” Steven gasped.   
Connie was staring in amazement. “ **Pearl, your world is** ** _gorgeous_** **!** ”   
Pearl stared out across the wide expanse. “ **Welcome to Hyrule.** ” she whispered, tears in her eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I wanted to get as much backstory out of the way as I could. 
> 
> Fun fact: This chapter was over 5000 words. I can’t guarantee future chapters will be this long. 
> 
> Anyway, I will be following the main story of the game as much as possible. I’ll just be changing the obvious parts where Link is referenced by a character, due to him being Mister Overslept-and-Missed-the-Call-of-Destiny in this AU. 
> 
> See ya next Saturday!


	3. Crumbling Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sliding into your dms, dropping a chapter and leaving an inappropriate emoji.

Pearl looked around at the expansive view with a sigh. “ **Oh, this brings back memories...** ”   
Steven looked back at her. “ **Pearl, where’s your home?** ”   
She glanced down at him. “ **Hmm, let’s see... Well, that’s Death Mountain over there.** ” she pointed at the volcano in the distance, glowing red lava streaming down its flanks.   
“ ** _Death_** **Mountain? Sounds friendly...** ” Amethyst scoffed.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, the** **Gorons** **live there, and they’re actually pretty nice. For** **naked** **rock golems anyway... Um, that’s Hyrule Castle.** ”   
She pointed to the north, and they saw a large building with tall towers. A thick evil-looking cloud surrounded it, and Pearl sighed. “ **That’s probably this Calamity** **Ganon** **that** **Farore** **mentioned... The evil spirit that used to be my father...** ” she added sadly. 

“ **The** **Gerudo** **valley is to the west, so... Oh. It’s behind us.** ” she glanced back at the cliff. “ **Yeah, we won’t be able to see it from here.** ”   
Steven sighed. “ **Aww... That’s too bad. I wanted to see your home.** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Eh, to be honest, there’s not much to see. It’s a deserted wasteland covered in sandstorms and marauding thieves. Some of which were very good people actually.** ” she smiled. “ **But still, it’s not much to look at, unless you really like sand.** ” she sighed. “ **Now, what am I supposed to do next...** ”   
Garnet tapped her shoulder. “ **Maybe that guy knows.** ” she pointed down the hill, and as they turned, they saw a strange old man watching them. Turning, he sat down next to a campfire, throwing some items nearby.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, I guess it’s worth a shot.** ” 

As they walked down the hill, Pearl stepped off the path briefly and grabbed some tree branches. “ **Hyrule’s usually full of... creatures, and can be quite dangerous for the unprepared, so you’ll be needing these. At least until we can find some decent weapons...** ” Handing them out, she paused. “ **Sorry Connie, but I’ll need to borrow your sword for a little while. At least until I can find one for myself. Being one of Bismuth’s weapons will be a bonus. Maybe I'll get lucky and it’ll count as a magical sword here...** ”   
Connie nodded, unbuckling the strap around her waist. “ **Okay.** ” she said as she handed it over.   
Pearl tried to fasten it to her waist, but found that the last hole in the belt was still too loose for her. As it slipped down over her slim hips, she frowned. “ **Ugh, right. I always have this problem...** ” Sighing, she opted to sling it across her back. She briefly unsheathed the sword and replaced it to test the movement. “ **Okay, this’ll do for a while. Thank you, Connie.** ” 

As they approached the old man, he slipped another stick on the fire. < ** _Greetings travellers._** > he said.   
“ **Err, Pearl? Still don’t understand...** ” Amethyst nudged her.   
Pearl sighed. “ **He said hello.** ” < ** _Greetings._** > she added to the old man as Steven waved nervously.   
< ** _I’ll admit, you were not the one that I was expecting to leave that cave..._** > he nodded.   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _There was a change of plans. Believe me, I didn’t like it either..._** > she sighed. < ** _But I suppose you’re here to guide me on what I'm supposed to do?_** >   
The old man pointed at the strange device on Pearl’s hip. < ** _That is the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate. That will provide most of the guidance you’ll need._** >   
Pearl removed the slate and examined it, trying out different functions. “ **Seems most of them are missing...** ” she sighed. As she watched, the screen shifted to a darkened screen labelled Map, and a blinking yellow dot appeared.   
< ** _That is where you are to begin your journey. Other markers will appear when needed._** >   
Pearl nodded and holstered the slate. < ** _Okay, I understand._** >

“ **Pearl, those smell pretty good. What are they?** ” Steven asked in a whisper.   
Pearl glanced down. “ **Fire-roasted apples, I think.** ”   
His eyes lit up. “ **That sounds delicious. Do you think he’ll let us have one?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I’ll ask.** ” < ** _My_** ** _young_** ** _friend here would like to know if he can possibly have one of your apples._** >   
The old man nodded with a smile. < ** _Of course. You each can have one._** >   
< ** _Thank you._** > Pearl glanced down. “ **He said we can each take one.** ”   
“ **Yes!** ” Steven grinned, already reaching for two. He handed one off to Connie before biting into his, his eyes closing happily. “ **That’s so good!** ”   
Connie grinned in delight. “ **Wow, that’s amazing!** ”   
Pearl reached down and picked one up, sighing as she examined it. “ **Garnet, Amethyst... We’re mortal here, so we’re all going to have to eat.** ” she shook her head. “ **As uncomfortable as that makes me...** ” she added as she put it into her bag.   
The pair nodded and each grabbed an apple from near the campfire. 

As the group walked away from the fire, Pearl spotted an axe stuck into a tree stump. < ** _Can I take your axe too?_** > she called back to the old man.   
When she got no reply, she turned back. The old man had vanished.   
“ **Oh.** ” Pearl looked about. “ **Well, I didn’t hear a no, so...** ” she grabbed the axe and handed it to Garnet. “ **Here you go.** ”   
“ **Nice.** ” Garnet grinned as she hefted it.   
Steven looked around nervously. “ **Pearl, that’s stealing...** ”   
She shrugged. “ **Yeah, so?** ” she glanced down at him and sighed. “ **Steven, I was raised in a deserted wasteland. When you live in the desert, you grab any resources you can find. Besides, if he actually cared about it, he wouldn’t have left it behind. And we need it more. Our weapons right now consist entirely of Connie's sword, this axe and some thin sticks to poke things with. Hyrule’s full of monsters, so we’ll need to be able to defend ourselves.** ”   
Amethyst scoffed. “ **Pearl, we’ve fought monsters for like, thousands of years. We can handle it.** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Amethyst, we did all that with our weapons, and the knowledge that if we messed up, we could just regenerate and try again. Right now, we can’t do that. We get seriously injured here; we have to hope Steven’s healing powers are still strong enough to fix us. We get fatally injured, well... we’ll die.** ** _Permanently_** **.** ” 

Amethyst gulped. “ **Like, dead** **dead** **? Or just...** ”   
“ **Deader than dead.** ” Pearl shook her head. “ **Like a** **mortal** **. Because that’s what we are now. In this world, we’re** **basically** **human. With some magic powers, yes, but still human. We can die easily, from the most ridiculous things. If I climbed up there-** ” she pointed to the cliff above them “ **-and suddenly decided to jump off, I'd die. Instantly, I'd wager. If I poked you with the sword, you’d probably bleed to death, unless Steven saves you. You take a stick to the** **eye,** **you’ll lose your eye.** **So** **you can’t be your usual reckless self here, okay? Just remember, if it’ll kill a human, it will kill you too.** ” she patted Amethyst’s head gently.   
Amethyst nodded. “ **Wow... Okay... Mortality** **kinda** **sucks, huh?** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Tell me about it.** ” she pulled out the roasted apple. “ **I’m actually going to have to eat at some point, or I'll pass out. I mean, technically, I haven’t eaten -or slept for that matter- in thousands of years. It's only a matter of time before this body starts to complain about that...** ” she sighed, putting the apple away. “ **But that’s a problem for Future Pearl.** **Now, let’s head out. The sooner we get moving to th** **e** **location** **on the slate** **, the sooner we can get out of here.** ” 

As they followed the path, the bushes rustled, and a strange red creature jumped out brandishing a small wooden club. It gibbered at them, and two others jumped out behind it.   
As the group took a cautious step back, Pearl quickly grabbed the short sword from her back and leapt forwards, slashing the clubs away and dodging a potential smack from another. Easily, she slipped behind them and slashed each one across their back in quick succession.   
As the three creatures fell to the ground, Pearl sheathed the sword with a nod. “ **Okay, I’ve never seen these kinds of monsters before... Huh. Must be new.** ” she shrugged.   
As the group stared, the monsters disappeared in puffs of black smoke, and Pearl hummed slightly as she set about collecting their clubs.   
“ **Pearl... You killed them...** ” Steven said quietly.   
Connie’s eye gleamed. “ **That was awesome.** ” she breathed.   
“ **That was** ** _badass_** **.** ” Amethyst grinned.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Thank you, Connie. Amethyst. And Steven? They were** ** _literal_** **monsters. The fact that they didn’t leave any bodies to clean up showed their unnatural natures. Plus, we now have these.** ” she held up two small wooden bats, and Amethyst gleefully took one.   
“ **Yes, momma’s** **gonna** **lay** ** _down_** **some smack-** ** _down_** **!** ” she grinned, swinging it around a little.   
Pearl looked around and down the path. “ **Wait a moment... No, it can’t be...** ”   
As Pearl jogged away, they glanced at each other and followed. 

They found her near an old dry fountain, gazing at it silently.   
“ **Pearl...** ” Garnet placed a hand on her shoulder.   
“ **This was in the centre of the old market town. I didn’t get to see it in its heyday, and it was full of** **ReDeads** **at the time, but...** ” she looked around and finally up. “ **That must be the Temple of Time...** ”   
They looked up at the ruined building, large holes visible even from this distance.   
Connie glanced up at Pearl. “ **You mentioned that before... the Temple of Time... What is it?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, it was supposedly the gateway to the Sacred Realm, where the** **Triforce** **resided. But it was mostly a place of quiet contemplation and ceremony. People had their weddings there. It was similar to a church, I suppose... It’s also where the escape tunnel I used to flee the dungeons ended. There's a slab behind the old altar that conceals a tunnel that leads to the castle...** ” Silently, she started walking towards it.   
With a look, the others nodded and followed her. 

As Pearl quietly moved around the pathways, she easily dispatched more small red monsters, grabbing any weapons they left behind before moving on. Pearl located another chest, and kicked it open, finding a pair of pants. “ **Hmm... Well, I suppose this’ll come in handy at some point...** ” she shrugged, stuffing it into the bag.   
At the top of the stairs, they saw a rusted machine. “ **Hey, that** **kinda** **looks like the laser robots...** ” Steven mused, pointing towards it.   
Pearl pulled a collected wooden spear from her back and gave the machine a quick poke. “ **Hmm... Seems inactive.** ” A small tinkling noise was heard, and as they glanced down, a tiny shiny screw fell out of the machine. Pearl shrugged and slipped it into the bag. “ **Might be important later.** ” she muttered, turning back towards the building. 

As they entered the large building, they felt overwhelmed by a strange urge for silence. As quietly as possible, they followed Pearl towards the back of the room, where she paused, shaking her head. “ **This... is different...** ” she whispered. “ **This statue wasn’t here, there was a low flat altar, with three jewels embedded in it...** ” Looking around, she sighed. “ **Well, it’s been what... tens? Hundreds? of thousands of years, local time. I guess the temple I knew was destroyed at some point, and they rebuilt it like this?** ” Shaking her head, she moved back towards the doorway, pausing suddenly. “ **Hello, what’s this?** ”   
As they watched, Pearl stepped into a small alcove and kicked a wooden chest. It popped open, and she grinned. “ **Oh yes, that will do nicely.** ” she reached in a collect a small bow, twanging the string with a nod before she reached back in a pulled out a small quiver, slinging it over her shoulder.   
“ **Heh,** **ya** **gonna** **getcha** **Opal on?** ” Amethyst smirked.   
Pearl glanced back. “ **You know it.** ” she grinned. With a couple of swift kicks, she smashed a few small pots nearby, kicking them against the wall. She bent over and picked up a handful of arrows, setting them into the quiver with a smile. “ **This is a good start. I wonder what else I can find around here...** ” Looking around, she spotted the large hole in the other side of the temple, and she quickly walked over, looking around.   
Bringing her head back in, she called back to them. “ **Guys, there’s a ladder up the side here. I'm going to head up, see if there’s anything up there, okay? I don’t know if the roof can take much weight, and I've always been pretty light anyway, so I need you all to stay down here where it’s safe.** ”   
As they watched, Pearl easily clambered up the ladder and onto the roof. 

Pearl carefully walked across the top of the roof, alert for any possible weakness. Glancing up, she spotted the spire, and made her way over. She climbed up the broken stonework, and into the small room. Smiling, she gave the small chest a kick, and collected a sturdier-looking bow with a grin.   
Pearl carefully slid down the ladder, and turned towards them. “ **Found another** **bow** **up there, so that’s good. There's doesn’t seem to be much else around here... We should probably head over to that point on the slate now.** ” 

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As Pearl cautiously led them away from the giant skull, she glanced back. “ **Okay, I don’t even** **_know_ ** **what** **_monstrosity_ ** **that skull came from, and I don’t** **_want_ ** **to know...** ” she shuddered. Checking the slate, she pointed. “ **Okay, this way.** ” 

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Once Pearl had dispatched the trio of red monsters, they climbed into the small cave, where they spotted another pedestal. Pearl looked around, glancing at the screen. “ **Well, this is the place...** ” she shrugged, placing the slate into the slot on the pedestal.   
As they watched, the slate flipped over and settled into the pedestal. Nervously, they stepped back, and were startled as a voice droned. < ** _Sheikah_** ** _Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks_**.>   
Pearl glanced up. “ **Everybody, in the centre, now!** ”   
They gathered around the pedestal as the ground started rumbling, rocks falling around them as the group tumbled to the floor. 

As the ground shook with great force, the tower rose up into the sky.   
All over Hyrule, people held onto sturdy surfaces, or fell to the ground as the shaking intensified.   
More and more towers burst from the ground, in the mountains, the plains and the valleys. 

On the Great Plateau, above their heads, three vanes clicked and pulled up, nearly meeting at the top of the tower as a burst of blue light shone free and the shaking subsided. 

Groaning, they picked themselves up and brushed the dust away from their clothes.   
“ **What just happened?!** ” Amethyst groaned.   
“ **No idea...** ” Garnet muttered.   
The voice came on again, startling them. < ** _Distilling local information..._** > They watched as strange blue writing appeared on the device above the pedestal, condensing into a single glowing blue drop that fell onto the slate.   
Cautiously leaning towards it, Pearl saw a map glow and appear on the slate’s screen.   
< ** _Regional map extracted._** > The voice said. Suddenly, the pedestal lifted out, flipping the slate around. Pearl nervously took it, examining her new map. “ **Umm... Apparently, all that was just to get a map for this part of Hyrule...** ” 

She looked up from the slate, and her jaw dropped open. Putting the slate into its holster without looking, she silently walked towards the edge of the tower, staring at the view around them. “ **Okay, so maybe it wasn’t all just for a map...** ” she whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, no it wasn’t. 
> 
> Okay, this story is finally getting to, ya know, the actual story. 


	4. Wreck and Rune

As they stared in wonderment at the expensive landscape around them, Pearl walked over and looked towards the west. Glancing back, she shook her head. “ **Still can’t really see the desert... Damned mountains... Okay, I guess I should try and figure out how we’re getting down from here. You enjoy the view.** ” 

Pearl walked around the tower, finally moving to an open patch in the floor. “ **Right, it looks like we can climb down here. From there, it looks safe enough to jump down to the next platform, but we could still climb down if necessary.** ” 

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As Garnet landed on the ground and turned to catch Steven, a voice called out. They turned to see the old man gliding down and land not far from them. < ** _My_** ** _my_** ** _... It would seem that we have quite the enigma here. This tower and several just like it_** ** _have_** ** _erupted across the land, one after another. Very interesting... It appears that some long-dormant power has awoken quite suddenly._** >   
Pearl dropped to the ground and looked up towards the top of the tower. < ** _Yes, that is pretty strange. The other ones weren’t blue either. They’re orange._** >   
The old man nodded. < ** _I assume you caught sight of that atrocity swarming around the castle. That... is the Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >

Pearl looked over towards the castle. < ** _Yeah, I assumed as much..._** > she sighed sadly.   
< ** _It brought ruin and corruption upon the kingdom of Hyrule one hundred years ago. It appeared suddenly... destroying everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. Over the last century, the kingdom’s purest symbol, Hyrule Castle, has been able to contain that evil. But just barely._** >   
“ **Pearl, what’s he saying?** ” Amethyst nudged her.   
Pearl glanced down. “ **That swirling vortex of evil around the castle is all that’s left of my father. A hundred years ago, it destroyed everything, killing many. The castle has kept it contained, but barely.** ” she nodded at the old man.   
< ** _There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching... I must ask you, courageous young one..._** >   
At this, Pearl scoffed slightly.   
< ** _Do you intend to make your way to the castle?_** >

Pearl sighed. < ** _That’s what_** ** _Farore_** ** _sent me here to do. Or at least stall until your hero boy wakes up._** ** _Whatever weapons or magic I find; I’ll happily hand over to him the first chance that I get._** >   
The old man nodded. < ** _Here, on this isolated plateau, we are surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, with no way off or down. If you were to try and jump, well... no death could be more certain. Or foolish._** >   
Pearl glanced towards the edge of the plateau, eyes narrowing. “ **Well, apparently the goddess expected me to sprout wings or something. She stuck us on a plateau with no safe way down.** ” she grumbled.   
< ** _Of course, if you had a paraglider like me, that would be quite another story!_** > The old man laughed. 

Pearl looked at him. < ** _Okay, what do you want for it?_** >   
< ** _Hmm... Let's see now... How about a trade for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby? Come. Let me show you something._** >   
As the old man walked away, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, he’s willing to give me that glider of his so I can get down, but he wants some sort of treasure for it.** ”   
“ **Okay, that sounds fair, I guess...** ” Amethyst shrugged as they started to follow him. 

The old man stopped nearby, and as they drew closer, he pointed at a strange structure. < ** _Do you see that structure there? The one shining with a strange light? It began glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground. I would think such a place might house some sort of treasure, wouldn’t you? Treasure for the paraglider. A fair exchange, I believe._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Yes, that’s fair._** > “ **Okay guys, he wants some treasure from inside that in exchange for the glider. Let’s just go get it.** ” 

As they neared the structure, Pearl saw another pedestal in front of a sealed door. Pulling out the slate, she placed it on the pedestal, and after a moment, the door slid up, revealing what appeared to be a small lift inside. Beneath them, the surface of the structure started glowing blue in a strange design. After a moment where nothing happened, they shrugged.   
“ **Right, this will be a tight fit, so we’ll go in two groups. Let's see if you can activate it without the slate.** ” Pearl said, ushering Amethyst and Garnet onto the lift.   
After a few seconds, it started to descend out of sight.   
Once it returned, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay kids, our turn. I just hope it’s safe down there...** ” 

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As they reached the bottom of the shaft, they stared around in wonderment. Pearl pressed their backs to get them to step off the lift, and walked over to where Garnet and Amethyst were waiting. “ **Well, now what, P?** ” 

A voice suddenly echoed throughout the chamber. < ** _To you who sets foot in this shrine... I am Oman Au. In the name of the Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _, I offer this trial._** >   
“ **Pearl?** ” Steven whispered.   
She glanced back. “ **Someone called Oman Au. He has some sort of trial.** ” Pearl looked around, spotting another pedestal. “ **I guess I should look at that, see what happens.** ” Pearl placed the slate on the pedestal, and watched as the blue drop hit the screen. “ **No idea how that even works, but as long as it does...** ” she muttered. Collecting the slate again, she looked at the screen. “ **Hmm... Apparently I now have something called the** **Magnesis** **rune. I can pick up metallic objects... somehow...** ”   
Looking around, she spotted two large metal plates set on the floor. “ **Well, that’s as good a target as any...** ” she shrugged. 

Pearl held up the slate and pressed the rune symbol on the screen. Looking at the screen, she saw that everything had taken on a magenta tone, except the metal plates that were glowing bright yellow. “ **Now, how do I... oh!** ” She pressed a button, and a pulse burst from the slate. The nearest metal plate lifted slowly into the air, and as Pearl moved the slate around, the plate followed. “ **Okay, that’s pretty neat actually.** ” she mused, setting the plate down nearby.   
“ **Pearl, there’s a ladder here!** ” Steven pointed down.   
Pearl walked over and looked down. “ **Well, it seems the only way to go, so everybody down.** ” 

After walking along the water and going up the stairs, they encountered a large wall of stone blocks blocking the way along with a single metal block. Pearl activated the Magnesis rune and pulled the metal block away, using it to push a path through the stone.   
On the other side, a small robotic creature scuttled forward. Pearl yelped and dropped the block on it, and after crackling with electricity, the robot exploded.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Sorry, that startled me a little. But I guess it did the trick, huh?** ” she smiled as she stepped forwards, picking up a tiny spring from the floor. 

As they walked forward, they saw gaps in the path. A large metal plate rested nearby, and Pearl sighed. “ **Well, this is pretty obvious.** ”   
They watched as she used the slate to pick up the plate, dropping it to bridge the gap. After they crossed it, she did the same thing again, and they crossed safely to stand in front of large metal doors.   
As Pearl prepared to move them, a gleam of yellow in the corner of the screen caught her eye, and she turned. “ **Ooh, treasure. Maybe that’s what the old man wants?** ” She pulled it down and opened it, grunting as she removed a similar bow to the second one that she had found earlier at the temple. “ **Geez, he could have just asked for mine...** ” she grumbled before turning and opening the doors. 

Ahead, a glowing blue platform waited. As they stepped closer, they saw a thin emaciated figure inside, and shuddered.   
Pearl sighed and stepped forwards, and after a moment, she pressed the glowing blue symbol on the front of the platform.   
With a flash of light, the blue shield around the form disappeared.   
Suddenly, they heard the voice again. < ** _You have proven to possess the resolve of a true hero. I am Oman AU, the creator of this trial. I am a humble monk, blessed with the sight of Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _and dedicated to helping those who seek to defeat_** ** _Ganon_** ** _. With your arrival, my duty is now fulfilled. In the name of Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _, allow me to bestow this gift upon you... Please accept this Spirit Orb._** >   
As they watched, a glowing white light burst from the mummified man’s chest, turning into a small dark ball before it hit Pearl’s chest. She gasped briefly, stepping back slightly.   
< ** _May the Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _smile upon you._** >   
With that, the monk dissipated into small motes of blue-greenish light. 

“ **What just happened?** ” Connie asked as they stared at the space where the body had been.   
Amethyst’s jaw worked. “ **Did... did that** **dead** **guy just** ** _talk_** **?!** ”   
Pearl gulped. “ **Uhh... I think I just passed some sort of test, and got something called a Spirit Orb as a reward. Which felt... weird...** ” she shook her head.   
Just then, they were engulfed in glowing blue light, and with a strange sensation, they suddenly found themselves outside. 

< ** _Oy!_** > Turning, they spotted the old man gliding down to them. Landing, he chuckled. < ** _Seems you manage to get your hands on a Spirit Orb! Well done!_** >   
Pearl briefly touched her chest. < ** _Uh, yeah... If that’s the thing you wanted, I’m... not sure how to get it out..._** >   
He smiled faintly. < ** _The appearance of those towers and the awakening of this shrine... It’s all connected to that_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate you carry on your hip there._** >   
Pearl glanced down, touching the device. < ** _What do you mean?_** >   
The old man half-turned away from them. < ** _It has been some time since I have seen or heard of the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate... Long ago, an advanced civilisation known as the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _inhabited these lands. It was the power and wisdom of the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _that saved this land time and time again. But their civilisation disappeared long ago... or so it is said. It is interesting, however, to think... that something of them might still remain hidden away in a shrine such as this. These shrines are tucked away in numerous places all across this land._** >   
He turned back. < ** _On this plateau alone, I believe there are still three more. Secure the treasure from those shrines... and I will give you the paraglider._** >

Pearl sighed. < ** _That wasn’t part of the deal..._** >   
He laughed. < ** _I said ‘treasure’, but I never said there would only be one treasure. Whether it’s one treasure or four, what’s the difference for a young go-getter like yourself?_** >   
< ** _I’m older than I look_** _._ > Pearl retorted. < **Much** ** _. Older._** > she glared. 

For a moment, the man paused. < ** _Hmm..._** > He sighed. < ** _If you will, allow me to teach you a trick for finding the shrines. It's always best to survey the area by looking around from a high point. Let’s see here..._** > he turned and pointed. < ** _Why don’t you see if you can make your way up to the top of that tower again?_** >   
Pearl glanced up at the top. < ** _You’re kidding, right?_** >   
He laughed again. < ** _Har_** ** _har_** **_har_** ** _... Hardly. Let me show you something... Take a look at the Map on your_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate._** >   
He waited as Pearl pulled out the slate and looked at it.   
< ** _Do you see those blue icons? One is this shrine, and the other is the tower. You can travel instantly to either of those places with the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate._** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. “ **Huh, like warping...** ”   
“ **Pearl.** ” Garnet tapped her shoulder.   
Pearl glanced back. “ **Oh. Umm, he wants me to get the treasures from three other shrines in the area. But first I need to go back up the tower. Apparently, this slate can** **sorta** **... warp me back up there.** ”   
“ **Huh. Neat.** ” 

The old man glanced between them briefly. < ** _I am... unsure if your companions can travel with you. It might be that only the one holding the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate will be transported..._** >   
Pearl glanced up at him. < ** _Hmm... I’ll have to test that. It's important that we stay together. Because if they get hurt, I will_** **personally** ** _hunt done_** ** _Farore_** ** _herself and_** **murder a bitch** ** _._** > she glared.   
Turning, she nodded at them. “ **Okay, he’s not sure if this will let all of us travel, so I’m going to have to do some testing. First, let’s... Hmm... Move over there a little bit.** ” she pointed to a random spot a short distance away.   
After they had moved, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay. Garnet. Put one hand on my shoulder. Amethyst, the other side** **, fingers touching the slate** **. I’ll set it to send us back over there-** ” she nodded at the nearby shrine “ **-and we’ll see if touching the slate is required, or simply indirect contact is fine.** ”   
After they had all taken their positions, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay. Here goes nothing...** ” 

Processing the screen, they felt an odd sensation similar to the one that had brought them outside the shrine. They saw glowing blue more of lights around themselves before a flash of light. 

Opening their eyes, they found themselves standing in front of the shrine again. Pearl looked around as Steven and Connie run back towards them, grinning. “ **Well, that answers that. We can all warp together.** ” Glancing around, she saw that the old man was now missing.   
“ **He moves pretty fast for an old guy...** ” Amethyst shrugged.   
Pearl made an uncertain noise, a thought suddenly in her head. “ **Yes... Well, we should get back up there. Hold on.** ” 

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As they reappeared on the tower, Connie sighed. “ **That feels really strange, but still way better than climbing back up here.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Agreed.** ”   
“ **Plus, the view is pretty awesome.** ” Steven added.   
< ** _Ahhh_** ** _... Quite the view from up._** >   
They turned to see the old man nearby, apparently waiting for them.   
“ **How’d he even** ** _get_** **up here?!** ” Amethyst squeaked, startled. Even Garnet seemed surprised.   
Pearl narrowed her eyes. “ **I’m starting to have my suspicions...** ”   
< ** _This is the best place to get a full view of the entire plateau. Did you know that there’s a Scope on your_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate? Look through it, and you can stick a pin anywhere you’d like to mark on the map. Those pins will appear on your Map as reference points for your travels_** ** _._** **_J_** ** _ust stick a pin where you want to go!_** > he grinned widely.   
Pearl looked at the slate briefly. < ** _How could you_** **possibly** ** _know that?_** >   
< ** _Har_** ** _har_** ** _har!_** > The old man laughed. < ** _Just a few tricks I've picked up over many, many years in the wild..._** > At Pearl’s sceptical look, he half-turned away. < ** _You may take my advice or leave it. Go ahead and take a look when you’re so inclined._** >

Pearl sighed and raised the slate to her face. The screen change to a viewfinder, and she saw with surprise that it allowed her to see far further than she could without it. “ **Huh. That’s neat too. I wonder if I can pull this thing apart, figure out how to build one when we get back...** ”   
After allowing the others to each have a turn looking through it, she took it back and looked around. When she saw an orange glowing structure in the distance, she pressed a button and a glowing beacon appeared on the screen. Glancing up, she nodded and scanned the horizon again, finding the other two shrines soon after. “ **Okay, that’s all of them...** ”   
Turning back, she saw that the old man had disappeared yet again. She sighed. “ **Yeah, I’d figured as much...** ” 

Pearl looked at the small clock in the corner of the screen. “ **Huh, this even has the current time,** **Hyrulean** **local time of course, a weather station, nice... and the temperature too.** **So** **what’s that?** ” As she watched, the small icon came to life with a wiggling purple line. Testing her idea, Pearl stamped her foot, and the line went crazy, dying down again soon after. “ **Oh, wow.** ” Glancing up, she pointed at the screen. “ **This bit basically tells me how much noise I'm making at the moment. That'll be useful if I have to sneak past something.** ” 

Looking around them, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay. Guys, I hate to do this to you, but... It’ll actually be simpler if I leave you up here for the time being and strike out to the shrines by myself.** ”   
“ **Uh-uh, no way.** ” Amethyst growled. “ **You said it yourself. Hyrule is** ** _dangerous_** **. You could die!** ”   
“ **Exactly.** ” Pearl said. “ **If something attacks me, it’ll be easier for me to fight, dodge or escape if I don’t have to worry about keeping everyone together, or anybody getting left behind in the chaos. I may not have been here in thousands of years, and I may have been a child at the time... but I'm still quite aware of the dangers out there.** ” she glanced between them. “ **Besides, quite frankly... With the exception of Garnet... You all have short legs. If we have to run from something, I'll outpace you easily, even if Garnet starts carrying you. Then, I'll have to turn back to make sure you all get to safety. Which will just put all of us in danger. If I'm alone, I can just run for my life, without having to worry about leaving anyone to their deaths.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **She has a point, you know. Besides, we can just watch her from up here.** ”   
Garnet sighed. “ **Good luck.** ”   
Pearl nodded and stepped back a short distance before she tapped the slates’ screen, disappearing in streams of blue light. 

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After Pearl disappeared, they quickly moved to the edge of the tower, watching as she reappeared down below at the shrine. She paused near the small pond and fiddled with the slate, and after a moment she dragged two chests out of the water with Magnesis, dropping them near the shrine before kicking them open. She waved before she ran off, pausing briefly below the tower, and they saw her grab hold of a fish, smacking it against the rocks before stuffing it into her bag and jogging away. 

They watched as she made her way around towards the crumbling ruins. As she inspected one of the dead machines, they saw with horror one lighting up behind her. 

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Pearl pulled out a small cogwheel, adding it to her bag with a nod.   
A whirring noise behind her made her pause, and she turned to see one of the machines glowing red, it’s head slowly swivelling around to face her. As the glowing blue eye turned red, a laser sight appeared on Pearl’s chest. Pearl looked down at it. “ **Shit!** ” she yelled, running towards the nearest wall. 

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As the cloud from the explosion swirled in the distance, they watched in shock.   
Suddenly, the cloud swirled away, and they saw Pearl crouching behind a low wall. She waved her hand and the dust swirled towards the machine, masking it so that all that could be seen was the glowing red beam reflected off of the swirling dust cloud. 

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Pearl took the moment to run towards better cover, diving behind a sturdier-looking wall as the wind swept the dust away. Cautiously, she peeked out to see the machine seeming to scan around itself, looking for its vanished target. After a moment, it settled, the red glow fading away. Pearl sighed. “ **Great, some of them are still active...** ” she muttered, glancing around before checking the map and picking a new path. 

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Garnet breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Pearl make her escape. As she quickly climbed the wall and the shrine flashed briefly, they settled down, leaning against the structure of the tower.   
“ **Damn... No-one said anything about those things still being alive...** ” Amethyst muttered, rubbing her face wearily. “ **Almost gave me a heart attack...** ” After a moment, she paused. “ **Huh. Oh yeah, I guess I have one of those now. Weird.** ”   
“ **Yeah, I was pretty worried for a moment there...** ” Connie sighed. “ **From what we were shown before, those things were pretty vicious.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Luckily, Pearl’s fast. And believe me... she’s way more vicious than anything this world can throw at her. She's also knows how her powers work here, and how to use them. Although, that was still pretty worrying... It was aiming right at her...** ” 

After a short while, they saw a distant flash of light. As they looked over, they could just faintly see Pearl standing on a wall behind the shrine, a sword in the air. As it caught the light from the sunset and the now entirely blue shrine, it glinted.   
“ **Oh good, she must have finished that one already.** ” Connie smiled as Pearl jumped back down and disappeared from view briefly.   
Amethyst smirked. “ **Well, these shrine thingies seem to be full of puzzles. Pearl's like... a total genius. She's probably having the time of her life outsmarting them.** ”   
Garnet chuckled. “ **Oh, I don’t doubt that at all.** ” she said as the sun rapidly sunk below the horizon. 

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As Pearl reached the edge of the ruins, a scrabbling noise drew her attention, and from the ground rose a small misshapen skeleton armed with a short and rusted sword. Pearl took a nervous step back. “ **Oh stars, not** **Stalchildren** **...** ” she muttered as she drew the wooden spear she had collected earlier that day. Nervously, she poked the approaching creature, and it collapsed, its bones quivering around as it tried to reassemble itself. Quickly, she slammed the spear down on the skull, crushing it. As the bones dissolved into nothing, she sighed. “ **I always hated those things...** ” she growled as she moved off, more cautiously now. 

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On the tower, the others watched in horror as a skeleton dug out of the ground and moved towards Pearl. Even though she quickly dispatched it and moved on, they were still shaken.   
“ **Holy crap! She never mentioned skeletons!** ” Amethyst muttered, pulling at her long hair.   
Garnet shivered. “ **That’s creepy...** ”   
“ **That didn’t look like it was human...** ” Connie mused.   
Amethyst started pacing. “ **It popped** **outta** **the ground! Like daisies!** ” she moaned. “ **What fresh** **kinda** **hell is this place?!** ”   
Connie shrugged. “ **Pearl did say the land was infused with magic. Maybe things that get buried here come back like that?** ”   
Steven was shaking. “ **I didn’t like that... Is Pearl** **gonna** **be okay out there?** ” he asked, looking up at Garnet.   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Honestly... I dunno. My future vision doesn't count as magic, I guess. I... actually haven’t seen a thing since I got here.** ” 

As they fell silent, Amethyst stared. “ **And you decided not to tell us this until now...** ** _why_** **?!** ”   
Garnet sighed deeply. “ **For starters, it wouldn’t have helped. Pearl's been given some magical quest. Regardless of what we want, or even what** ** _she_** **wants, she’s stuck doing this entire thing. At least until that guy wakes up and takes his triangle back. Assuming that he can...** ”   
At their expressions, she shrugged. “ **If these goddesses decide that Pearl’s doing better than he ever could, they might just make her go through this whole ordeal to the end. Including fight that thing.** ” she poked a thumb at the castle. “ **Without future vision, I have no idea how any of this will play out. All we can do is hope that the goddess wasn’t exaggerating when she told Pearl that she’s the only one who can do this.** ” 

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As Pearl reached a large open area with scattered trees, she spotted a small cabin in the distance. Hearing the scrabbling noise behind her, she picked up speed, dashing towards the cabin and climbing up onto the roof. Catching her breath, she spotted the newly emerged Stalchild looking around confused briefly before burying itself again.   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Strangest looking_** ** _Stalchild_** ** _I’ve ever seen..._** > she shook her head.   
< ** _It’s called a_** ** _Stalkoblin_** ** _._** >   
Jumping to her feet, Pearl looked down towards the front of the building. She sighed as she saw the old man looking up at her. “ **Geez... you really get around...** ” she muttered, looking down over the edge. < ** _What was that?_** >   
< ** _The creature. It's called a_** ** _Stalkoblin_**.> he said again.   
Pearl glanced over where she had seen the creature. < ** _Oh. Last time I_** ** _checked,_** ** _they were called_** ** _Stalchildren_** ** _..._** ** _Stalfos_** ** _for the big ones._** >   
The old man looked at her strangely. < ** _They haven’t been called that since very ancient times..._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I told you, I'm_** **much** ** _older than I look._** >   
He stared at her for a moment. < ** _Hmm... Well, it’s safe to come down from there. The_** ** _Stalkoblins_** ** _never bother me here._** >   
After a moment, Pearl shrugged and jumped down, landing nearby as the old man sat by a small fire and cooking pot. 

He nodded at her. < ** _I've been trying to remember an old recipe I discovered long ago. I know it involved meat and spicy peppers, but I can’t quite remember what the third item was. I'm pretty sure it was another kind of meat..._** > he sighed.   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I_** ** _dunno_** ** _... fish, maybe? Or some_** ** _kinda_** ** _bird?_** >   
He paused for a moment. < ** _Fish... You know, I think that might be it..._** ** _But,_** ** _I don’t have any fish to try it with..._** >   
Pearl glanced around, her eyes going back to the tower for a moment. < ** _I caught one earlier._** > she said, distracted. Reaching into her bag, she pulled the fish out, and the old man smiled happily.   
< ** _Would it be possible for me to have that?_** > he asked, pointing at the fish still in her hand.   
Pearl glanced down, staring at the fish briefly. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... sure._** > she shrugged, handing it over. 

Happily, the old man threw it into the pot along with some meat and a handful of peppers. As Pearl warily watched the surroundings, he tended the meal until an odd smell that was a mixture of pork and fish filled the air.   
Carefully, he scooped it into a bowl, taking a small taste before gulping it down. < ** _Yes! That’s it exactly!_** > he exclaimed, startling Pearl. < ** _Spicy meat and seafood fry! I remember now!_** > he grinned happily. < ** _Thank you!_** >   
Pearl nodded back at him. < ** _You’re welcome..._** >   
The old man stood up and went into the cabin. After a short moment, he returned, holding a bundle of cloth. < ** _I must thank you properly. Here. This Warm Doublet will help you resist the cold much better. It will be especially helpful up on the mountain._** > he nodded towards the snow-capped mountain that towered above them. < ** _And it will be much warmer than that._** > he pointed at her short jacket.   
After a moment, Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. Thanks._** > she took the doublet, give it a quick shake before throwing it about her shoulders. After squirming a little, she sighed, taking it off before she pulled off her jacket, folding it and putting it into her bag before putting the doublet back on. After a moment, she looked up at the mountain and sighed before she moved around to the back of the cabin, out of view from both the tower and the old man. Here, she quickly changed into the trousers she had found earlier, finding them to be quite comfortable. 

Returning, she checked the time on the slate. < ** _Right, it should be morning soon. I’m gonna try to make a run for the next shrine._** > she looked up the mountain, her eyes roaming over possible routes to the top.   
< ** _Okay._** > he nodded. < ** _Good luck._** >

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As they peered through the gloom, they saw Pearl chatting with the old man again near a campfire. After a short while, he went into the cabin and came back out. They saw Pearl trying on some sort of jacket before disappearing around the side of the cabin. She came back a moment later in different clothes before she cautiously ran towards the nearby cliff, pausing only to grab another axe from near the cabin.   
“ **Huh... I wonder why she got changed?** ” Steven asked.   
Connie looked up at the mountain. “ **Maybe to be warmer. It looks pretty cold up there...** ”   
As they watched, Pearl swung the axe, and after a couple of hits, a tree toppled over across the ravine, creating a bridge to the base of the cliff which she easily crossed.   
Amazed, they watched as she clambered to the top of a boulder before leaping onto the rock face, carefully scaling the almost sheer wall to reach a small ledge. 

“ **Huh, wow... That was a pretty good idea actually.** ” Connie nodded. “ **It’ll get her to that shrine faster.** ”   
“ **Heh, look at her go.** ” Amethyst laughed. “ **SpiderPearl** **, SpiderPearl...** ”   
Steven nodded eagerly. “ **Yeah. Pearl's a** ** _great_** **climber. When she took me to the armoury, she climbed a mountain with me tied to her back. Of course, we didn’t know at the time that Lion could just roar us there... she was pretty upset to find out that I had already been there with Lion...** ” he sighed. “ **But I think she’s over it now.** ” 

As they watched, Pearl reached the top of the cliff. As she approached the shrine, some more skeletons appeared, but she swiftly dodged past them, opening the shrine and running inside.   
“ **You know, it’s a good thing we all have that dimensional jet lag Pearl was talking about.** ” Connie added. “ **Cause we’d all be exhausted by now. Pearl would be struggling too.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Yes. I just hope that she’s able to actually get some sleep when the time comes. She's always been... reluctant to try it.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **I’m looking forward to sleeping for a** **week** **myself. I've never managed** **a solid week** **before. Could be fun.** ”   
Steven shrugged. “ **I just hope we find some beds before then. I don’t** ** _really_** **want to sleep on the ground if skeletons are** **gonna** **come out...** ”   
Garnet looked around them. “ **We could sleep up here. It's a bit windy, sure, but those... things don’t seem to be able to get up here.** ” 

Just then, Pearl appeared. As she waved towards them, the sun appeared on the horizon, and the skeleton that was walking behind her suddenly burst into a dark fog, disappearing. Pearl looked back, shrugged and collected the fallen items, adding a new shield to her growing arsenal before she climbed up towards the final shrine. 

As the sun came up, they watched Pearl climb into the distant snowfield, losing sight of her in the swirling flakes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SpiderPearl, SpiderPearl   
> Does whatever a SpiderPearl does.   
> Disappears, without a trace.   
> Then she stabs you, in the face.   
> Look out! Here comes the SpiderPearl! 


	5. Leap of Faith

As Pearl looked around inside the shrine, she spotted the now familiar pedestal. She quickly moved over and place the slate into the slot, waiting as it distilled the information. Finally, the slate popped back out and she examined the screen. “ **Hmm... Cryonis** **...** **Builds ice pillar... stepping stone... Huh, neat.** ” Looking around the room, she saw a small pool of water in front of the ledge beyond which was the way forwards. “ **I guess I’ll try this out...** ” 

As she activated the rune, she used the screen to aim briefly. A pillar of ice rapidly grew level with the ledge. With a quick leap, she climbed up the pillar and jumped onto the ledge. “ **Okay, that’ll come in handy.** ” she mused as she turned towards the next room. There she saw another small shallow pool of water underneath a gate that was blocking the way. Rolling her eyes, she created another pillar that easily lifted the gate up as it grew, allowing her to walk underneath. 

As she walked through the gate, she found herself facing another small machine. Quickly she drew her bow, firing an arrow that barely missed its glowing eye. As it reeled and spun, she sprinted forwards and slammed it with her axe. The axe broke, but the damage had been done, and a few seconds later the machine crackled and exploded. Pearl collected the little cogwheel and looked around the room, spotting the way forwards up ahead. As she moved towards it, she saw a ledge above her on which she could spot the corner of a chest. Quickly, she created another ice pillar and climbed up, collecting the Traveler’s Spear. Grinning as she hefted it, she felt relieved to have a familiar weapon in her hands, even though it wasn’t one of her own. Jumping back down, she moved into the next room. 

Pearl saw the shrine on the ledge ahead and sighed. Looking at the pool of water beneath the ledge, she saw a balanced beam. Nodding, she summoned a pillar beneath one end of the beam, stopping it from hitting the floor as she walked up the slope. With relief, she collected the Spirit Orb and felt the now familiar sensation of being warped back outside. 

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< ** _Hey!_** >   
Pearl sighed and turned as the old man approached. < ** _Somehow, I expected you would show up now..._** >   
< ** _Hmm, with this, you have now acquired all of the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau. That means... it is finally time for me to tell you everything._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That’d be nice._** >   
< ** _But first..._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes. ‘ _Here it goes..._ ’   
< ** _Imagine an X on your map, with the four shrines as the end points. Find the spot where those lines intersect. I shall wait for you there._** >   
As Pearl sighed and opened her mouth, the words faded from her mind as the old man suddenly glowed with blue flames. As he disappeared, she rubbed her face. “ **Ugh, I knew it... It’s** ** _always_** **ghosts...** ” 

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On the distant tower, Connie pointed. “ **She’s back!** ”   
“ **That’s shrine** **numbah** **four!** ” Amethyst grinned. “ **Maybe now we can get moving...** ”   
As they watched, Pearl turned to talk with the old man.   
“ **Geez, that guy really gets around...** ” Garnet muttered.   
When the man suddenly appeared to have blue flames around him, their mouths dropped in shock as he disappeared.   
“ **What?!** ” 

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Pearl appeared on the top of the tower, and they rushed towards her.   
“ **Pearl, the old guy...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, he’s a ghost. I suspected as much...** ”   
Connie looked up at her. “ **You don’t seem too concerned about that...** ”   
“ **Eh,** ” Pearl shrugged. “ **I’ve seen ghosts before. Remember when I told you about the six sages? Ghosts, the lot of them. They seem to plague me, quite frankly...** ” she sighed, shaking her head. “ **Anyway, he wants me to meet him where X marks the spot.** ” she pulled out the slate and examined it for a moment. “ **Annnd** **that would be the Temple of Time. Right. I wish I could say that I was surprised, but I** **kinda** **knew that I'd end up there at some point...** **It is a major landmark.** ”   
Steven held up his hand. “ **Wait! What about the shrines? What’d you get there?** ” 

Pearl smiled. “ **Some pretty cool stuff, actually.** ” she pulled a sword from her back. “ **I found this, which is pretty nice.** ” she put it back and reached into her bag. “ **Oh yes, Connie? You can have this back now.** ” she pulled out the sword and sheath, holding them up to the young girl.   
Connie nodded and took them, but paused. “ **Wait... How did you... That bag’s too small to hold this, how...** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **It’s actually a magic bag. They were once pretty rare, so either they’ve gotten more common or that boy was considered special enough to be given one. It’s actually magically enhanced so that it’s bigger on the inside, and has multiple pockets.** ” she pulled out a shield that was clearly bigger than the bag, handing it to Steven who eagerly strapped it to his arm.   
Amethyst whistled, impressed. “ **So** **it’s** **kinda** **like your gem then? Bigger on the inside?** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Basically, yes. But with a** **lot** **less trauma, anxiety and psychological issues.** ” she scoffed. “ **Well, we can only hope anyway...** ” 

She looked over towards the dilapidated building. “ **So, let’s see where he wants me to go...** ” she held up the slate and used its scope, examining the building. “ **Hmm... Okay, looks like the roof, or rather, that spire... It’d be easier if you waited here.** ”   
“ **Aww, come on Pearl.** ” Amethyst groaned. “ **You’re always leaving us behind...** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Sorry, but that roof is already falling apart. It's doubtful that it would be able to take all of our weights. Plus,** **i** **f you went with me, you’d just be standing around listening to us talk. And you can’t understand us. Besides, I have the feeling I’ll be coming back here anyway... I promise, I'll tell you about any life-changing revelations when I get back.** ” she glanced around.   
As they sighed and nodded, she smiled. “ **I’ll be as quick as possible.** ” she added as she checked the map. “ **Okay, that cave’s the closest point...** ” After a moment, she disappeared in a flash of blue light. A few moments later, Pearl walked out of the cave and jogged towards the Temple of Time. 

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As Pearl reached the building, she spotted a mysterious glow from the corner of her eye. Glancing up towards the spire, she looked into the temple, her mouth dropping open as she saw the statue of the goddess Hylia glowing with an ethereal light. Hesitantly, she walked towards it.   
As she stood before it, she shuffled her feet nervously. “ **Okay...** ” she muttered, clasping her hands. < ** _Uh... I know it’s been a_** **seriously** ** _long time, but..._** >   
She almost jumped when a gentle voice spoke in the gloom. < ** _You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power. It appears you have claimed four Spirit Orbs. In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will amplify your being._** ** _So_** ** _tell me what it is that you desire._** >   
Pearl looked around. < ** _Umm... Well, if I'm going to do this whole ‘_** **save Hyrule** ** _’ thing, it’d be nice to be a bit stronger..._** >   
The eyes of the statue glowed briefly. < ** _I shall grant the power you seek._** >   
She gasped as the four orbs phased out of her chest. Before her, they rearranged and reformed into a heart shaped object, which then re-entered her chest. She felt strength returning to her body, and her most recent scratches glowed and healed rapidly.   
< **Go, and bring peace to Hyrule...** >   
As the glow faded, Pearl stepped back. < **Uhh** **... Thank you.** > she bowed. 

< ** _Oy!_** >   
Pearl jumped and looked around.   
< ** _The blessing of the Goddess has made you more resilient, I see..._** >   
She looked up to see the old man on the roof.   
He smiled. < ** _Here I am... Get up here-quickly!_** >   
Pearl sighed as he walked out of view. “ **Damned** **bossy** **ghosts...** ” she muttered. 

Once Pearl reach the top of the ladder, she started to carefully make her way across the roof. Climbing into the spire, she found him waiting for her.   
As the old man looked at her sadly, he gently floated up, hovering above the floor. < ** _The time has come to show you who I truly am. I was King_** ** _Rhoam_** **_Bosphoramus_** ** _Hyrule. I was... the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists._** >

Pearl watched as his appearance changed, his shabby clothes becoming finer and more opulent, his beard becoming shorter and less unruly, and the shimmer of a crown flashed on his brow.   
< ** _The Great Calamity was merciless... It devastated everything in its pat_** ** _h_** ** _, lo, a century ago. It was then that my life was take away from me. And since that time, here I have remained in spirit form. I was unsure if you were truly sent by the Goddesses, or were one of_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _minions._** ** _So_** ** _I thought it best to assume a temporary form._** > he looked at her.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That’s understandable. If our positions were reverse, I too would have hidden my true form until I was certain that you could be trusted._** >   
He nodded regally. < ** _I thank you. I do not know how much the Goddesses have told you, so I will try to give you as much information as I can..._** >

The ghost of the King seemed to sigh. < ** _To know Calamity_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _true form, one must know the story from an age long past. The demon king was born in this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created the horror you see now._** >   
Pearl looked out of the spire towards the castle. < ** _Yes, I’m... aware, of who he used to be._** >   
< ** _Stories were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also... a prophecy. ‘_** **The signs of a resurrection of Calamity** **Ganon** **are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground.** ** _’_** > he sighed. < ** _We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn’t long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors._** >   
Pearl’s eyebrows rose. “ **Giant robots? Steven will like that...** ”   
As the King glanced at her, she blushed. < ** _Sorry, please, continue..._** >

< ** _We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously. This coincided with ancient legends, oft repeated throughout our land._** > he sighed deeply. < ** _We also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. It was they who sealed_** ** _Ganon_** ** _away using the power of these ancient relics. One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side. It was clear that we must follow our ancestor’s path._** >   
Pearl glanced at him. < ** _I’m assuming that the princess was..._** >   
< ** _My own daughter... My dear Zelda... And the courageous knight was Link, who protected her right up to the end... The same knight that now sleeps within the Shrine of Resurrection._** > he shook his head, looking over wistfully towards the castle. < ** _Even now, she works to restrain_** ** _Ganon_** ** _from within Hyrule Castle. However, my daughter’s power will soon be exhausted. Once that happens,_** ** _Ganon_** ** _will freely regenerate himself and nothing will stop him from consuming our land._** > he turned to her, his eyes pleading. < ** _Considering that I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you... But I am powerless here... You must save her... my daughter. And do whatever it takes to annihilate_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >

Pearl glanced towards the castle. “ **That’s a pretty tall order...** **all things considered... Hopefully, I won’t have to go that far...** ” she sighed and nodded. < ** _Okay, I can at least try. Tell me more about these Divine Beasts._** >   
The king nodded, a faint smile. < ** _We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts. With the princes as their commander, we dubbed these pilots Champions – a name that would solidify their unique bond. The princess, her appointed knights, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away_** ** _Ganon_** ** _... But nay..._** ** _Ganon_** ** _was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining._** >   
Pearl looked at him curiously. < ** _He remembered how he had been defeated before?_** >   
The king nodded. < ** _Possibly. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against us. The Champions lost their lives. Those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed whilst defending the princess... And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** ** _However_** ** _... The princess survived... To face_** ** _Ganon_** ** _alone..._** >

Pearl looked out over the land. < ** _So, what happened to these Divine Beasts after that?_** >   
< ** _Somehow,_** ** _Ganon_** ** _has maintained control over all four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians swarming around Hyrule Castle. I believe it would be quite reckless for you to head directly to the castle at this point. I suggest... that you make your way east, out to one of the villages in the wilderness. Follow the road out to_** ** _Kakariko_** ** _Village._** >   
Pearl started, surprised. “ **It still exists?** ” she muttered.   
< ** _There you will find the elder,_** ** _Impa_** ** _. She will tell you more about the path that lies ahead. Consult the map on your_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate for the precise location of_** ** _Kakariko_** ** _Village._** > he pointed out towards two distant mountains; their peaks almost touching. < ** _Make your way past the twin summits of the Duelling Peaks. From there, follow the road as it proceeds north._** > Turning, he walked to the corner of the small room, indicating the small paraglider. < ** _Go on... Here is the paraglider, just as I promised. With that, you should be able to safely fly off cliffs surrounding this area. Although, I'm afraid this was intended for young Link. I didn’t anticipate you or your companions. I'm unsure if this will take the extra weight..._** >   
Pearl took the glider, taking a moment to figure out the collapsing mechanism. < ** _That’s okay, I'll figure something out. Even if it means leaving them behind for a while until I reach a safe place to warp them to with the slate._** >

The king nodded. < ** _Then... I think that’s it. I've told you everything I can. Please, you must save... Hyrule..._** >   
As she watched, the king slowly faded from view, one last tiny flicker of flame lighting up the small room until it too snuffed out.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Great, I bet that counts as a last wish too...** ” she looked back at the castle before finally turning towards the tower. “ **Well, I suppose that I should practice a little with this before I go throwing myself off of cliffs...** ” she glanced down towards the ground. “ **That looks** **vaguely** **survivable...** ”   
With a deep breath, Pearl jumped from the opening in the wall, glider above her. The wind quickly caught it, and she glided slowly towards the ground. As she touched down, she gave a sigh. “ **Well, that’s simple enough.** ” 

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As Pearl reappeared on the tower, they gave a wave. “ **Hey, how’d the chat with ghost guy go?** ” Amethyst called.   
“ **Tell us everything!** ” Steven grinned.   
Pearl sighed as she sat down. “ **Basically? Pretty much what we already know. Ten thousand years ago, that-** ” she pointed at the swirling evil being soaring around the castle “ **-happened the first time. The princess of that time and her best knight sealed my** **fath** **-…** " she sighed deeply. “ **Sealed** **Ganon** **away. But there was some sort of prophecy that he’d return ten thousand years later. That happened one hundred years ago. But when they tried to do the same thing that worked before, he remembered how he had been defeated. Because he wasn’t stupid.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Really, expecting the same plan to work a second time was just wishful thinking.** ” she shook her head. “ **So of course, he took control of the weapons that they were using on him. Those robots with the lasers?** ” she waited for their nods. “ **What’s new is this. There were also four other special giant robots called the Divine Beasts.** "   
“ **Wow... Giant robots...** ” Steven’s eyes sparkled.   
Pearl laughed softly. “ **Yeah, I thought you’d like that. Four Champions were picked to pilot them, but they all died when** **Ganon** **took control of the machines. The guy in the cave was injured protecting the princess, and was put there to heal. She went to the castle to try and seal** **Ganon** **anyway. She's somehow managed to keep him contained this entire time... But she’s getting weaker. I'm supposed to somehow save her and Hyrule...** ” she sighed. 

“ **So, what now?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **The old man was actually the ghost of the last King of Hyrule. Princess Zelda’s father. He told me to go to** **Kakariko** **Village, and talk to a woman called** **Impa** **.** ” she gave a small laugh. “ **Odd thing is, I remember** **Kakariko** **.** ”   
“ **Yeah?** ”   
She nodded. “ **Hmm. It was at the foot of Death Mountain. I led a raid once to steal wooden planks so we could repair our bridge. Nice place, strange people...** ” she leaned back against the pedestal wistfully. “ **I had heard that it was secretly a** **Sheikah** **stronghold, and that many of the people who live there were actually** **Sheikah** **... But I only ever saw one there. During that raid. He asked why we were taking the planks when there were much more valuable things. I explained why we needed them, and he let me go.** ” she shook her head, glancing up at the sun now directly overhead. “ **Uhh** **, there’s one more thing...** ”   
“ **Yes?** ” Garnet tilted her head curiously.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Um, the glider can only carry one person...** ” 

“ **Nope. Absolutely not.** ” Amethyst stood in front of her.   
Garnet held up a hand. “ **Amethyst, let her explain. She's had good reason for everything so far. Let's hear this one before we start trying to argue against it.** ”   
Amethyst crossed her arms and huffed. “ **Fine...** ”   
Pearl nodded gratefully at Garnet. “ **The king only expected** **hero** **boy to leave the cave. Seeing all of us was something he couldn’t have anticipated.** **So** **he only had this little glider prepared. It's only strong enough to carry one person, and as I'm the one the goddesses decide to bother with** **all** **this** ** _destiny_** **rubbish, I honestly don’t think I have much of a choice in the matter. I** ** _have_** **to be the one to go out there...** ” she sighed sadly. “ **But with that warping function, I should easily be able to come back and collect you once I reach someplace safe enough.** ”   
After a moment, Garnet nodded. “ **That’s fair. You are the only one of us with any idea of the dangers out there. And you’re clearly able to handle them, judging by how quickly you worked out those shrines.** ”   
As Pearl blushed, Amethyst groaned. “ **Ugh, fine... I don’t like it, but...** ” she looked at Pearl. “ **Just... don’t die, okay?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Don't worry, I'm not planning to any time soon. I've gotten used to functional immortality, and damned if I'll let any eight-bit goddess ruin that for me.** ” 

As Pearl stood, she grabbed the slate. “ **I’ll just pick out a good spot to try to reach and head out.** ”   
Connie shook her head as Pearl used the slate’s scope. “ **Okay, why aren’t you tired yet?** ” she asked. “ **I mean, you’re mortal now, and hell... I’m tired just watching you climbing around...** ” she huffed. “ **Is it because you’re a Gem?** ”   
Pearl glanced down with a smile. “ **Actually, no.** **Hylians** **have a lot of stamina, and the** **Gerudo** **have strength. I'm a bit of both, so I got the best of both worlds.** ”   
Steven climbed up and sat on the pedestal. “ **Um... I’m still** **kinda** **confused about that. What’s the difference?** ”   
Pearl glanced at him. “ **Well, to be honest, not much. It's mostly a cultural thing. I am** **bit** **of both. Okay, technically speaking, there’s probably more** **Sheikah** **than** **Hylian** **, but still. It was determined that I was a** **Gerudo** **, so was raised as one, even if I look more** **Hylian** **than anything.** ”   
He kicked his feet. “ **Okay. What’s a** **Hylian** **? And a... shaker?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Sheikah** **. Right, I think I should start by explaining the races of Hyrule.** ” 

She waited as they all got comfortable again. “ **Remember when I told you about Hyrule’s creation?** ” she paused as they nodded. “ **Well, when** **Farore** **created Hyrule’s life, she also created the different races of Hyrule. The last time I was here, there were four human races, and two... not quite human. Each with their own culture, history and language, but each considered** **Hyrulean** **all the same. Now, keep in mind, I haven’t been here in a long time, so I don’t know how much things have changed, but from what I remember... The first non-human race are the** **Gorons** **.** ” she pointed out towards the distant volcano. “ **They live on Death Mountain, which, as you can see, is an active volcano. As a result, they’re very heat resistant. Also, they eat rocks.** ” she shook her head. “ **But,** **I’ve heard that they don’t like gems. They consider it like... eating cake, and finding a big piece of broccoli in it.** ” she shrugged.   
Steven shrugged. “ **That doesn’t sound so bad...** ”   
Amethyst grimaced. “ **Dude, you've always been a weird kid.** ** _I_** **wouldn’t even eat that.** ”   
“ **What about the other non-human race?** ” Connie asked. 

Pearl nodded. “ **The** **Zoras** **. Basically, they’re** **kinda** **human-shaped...** **Uhh** **... Imagine what humans would look like if your closest ancestors were fish instead of apes.** ”   
Garnet shook her head. “ **Sounds weird...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, they’re pretty strange, to be honest with you... Also,** **Gorons** **and** **Zoras** **never really got the point of clothing. Granted, neither race really has anything worth covering up, but still...** ” she shrugged. “ **Anyway,** **Zoras** **tended to be very spiritual. In the past, they worshipped some kind of giant fish?** ” she looked confused briefly. “ **Or so I heard. My father wasn’t entirely fond of them, so I wasn’t exactly encouraged to learn much about them...** ” she shrugged.   
“ **As for the human races, there are four. Although, I’m not actually sure if the** **Kokiri** **even counted as human...** **Uhh** **... They were basically a race of eternal children that lived in the forest. Their father was a tree.** ” she made a face. “ **Yeah, I don’t know how that works either... Most people were confused about whether or not they counted. But they looked human.** **And may have been descended from Hylians.** ” 

“ **The second human race are the** **Sheikah** **. They were very loyal to the** **Hyrulean** **royal family, and there was almost always one guarding the princess.** **But,** **I don’t actually know all that much about them. The last time I was here, they had mostly vanished. There was only one that I ever knew about. They’re possibly extinct by now, I don’t know...** ” she shrugged before she tapped the slate. “ **However, the old man... or rather, the ghost of the last king, called this the** **Sheikah** **Slate, so maybe they made a comeback?** ” she looked thoughtful. “ **Or, I suppose that they could have merely been hiding out.** ” she shrugged. “ **Either way, it seems that they created a lot of advanced technology ten thousand years ago. These towers, the shrines, this slate... they all seem to be connected. That eye symbol-** ” she pointed at the glowing blue symbols around them. “ **-was theirs. Every race had their own symbol, which was stuck on everything. My people used the Gerudo mark as a way of saying, ‘ _this is ours now_ ’, on stolen property.**” she shrugged. 

“ **The third race were the** **Hylians** **. They tend to think they’re superior to the other races, and call themselves ‘** ** _Hylia’s_** ** _Chosen People_** **’** ” she scoffed. “ **They have these pointy ears-** ” she tapped her own “ **-because they’re supposed to help them hear the voices of the gods better.** ”   
“ **So why do you have the ears?** ”   
“ **I’m actually half-** **Hylian** **, but raised** **Gerudo** **, so...** ” she smiled faintly. “ **Hylians** **pretty much look like this. Except the hair. Which leads me to the fourth race. The** **Gerudo** **. That’s the other half.** **Gerudos** **usually have red hair. In fact, you see anyone in Hyrule with red hair, they probably have** **Gerudo** **blood.** ” she grinned. “ **The** **Gerudo** **are desert dwellers, and have a tendency to be extremely powerful magic users.** ” she sighed. “ **The** **Gerudo** **tendency to only produce women means that** **Gerudo** **women have to leave the town when they come of age and are ready to find a husband. Not that I was ever interested in that...** ” she muttered. 

As they snickered, Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Anyway, that’s why I’m half** **Hylian** **, half-** **Gerudo** **. Most** **Gerudo** **are the same mix. It's just that I took after my** **Hylian** **mother in looks. Presumably...** ”   
Connie raised her hand. “ **Why do** **Gerudo** **only produce girls? Is there a reason,** **or?...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, technically speaking, we do produce males at around the same rate as you’d expect. It's just that they’re only considered true** **Gerudo** **under certain conditions. If those aren’t met, the child is considered** **Hylian** **, and sent to live with the father. Red hair, big nose, an affinity for a gemstone.** ” she tapped her forehead. “ **True** **Gerudo** **babies scream incessantly when born, until we’re presented with a gemstone that we feel an affinity for. I screamed until my father gave me this. Nobody knows why we’re like this.** ” she shrugged. “ **I have my theories though.** **But,** **any babies who are calmed quickly without a gem are not considered** **Gerudo** **.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Okay. Any other races that we should know about?** ” 

Pearl shrugged. “ **Not that I'm aware of. But it’s been about fifteen thousand years since I was here, Earth-time. It's a safe bet that other races have come and gone in that time. If I learn of any other, I'll find out as much as I can and let you know.** ”   
As she glanced at the time on the slate, her eyes widened. “ **Okay, I really should get going. I want to make it as far as I can before nightfall. I don’t want to deal with those** **Stals** **again...** ” she muttered as she stood.   
Steven raised his hand. “ **What are...** ”   
“ **Stals** **. The skeleton creatures. Those were** **Stalkoblins** **. I presume they were the magically revived skeletons of those little red creatures, like the ones that attacked us near the Temple of Time.** ” Pearl said as she stood near the edge of the tower.   
Steven shuddered. “ **Those things were creepy...** ” he whispered.   
Pearl glanced back. “ **Yeah. Easy to beat though, so don’t worry. They don’t seem to be able to climb, so just stay up here and you’ll be safe until I can warp back for you.** ” 

She looked down at the distant ground and squeezed her eyes shut briefly. “ **Okay, here I go.** ”   
“ **Good luck Pearl.** ” Connie said.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Stay safe.** ”   
“ **Don’t die.** ” Amethyst sniffed. “ **Or I'll never forgive you.** ”   
Steven gave her a quick hug. “ **Come back soon, okay?** ”   
Pearl patted his hair gently. “ **As soon as possible.** ” she whispered as he pulled away.   
As they stood back, Pearl took a deep breath and jumped, the wind catching beneath the glider.   
Waving, they watched her soar away, angled to land on a nearby hilltop. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, starting to actually get to the journey now.


	6. Reluctance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, folks.  
> My internet provider has some damaged fiber cables, so we lost the internet yesterday.  
> They're still working on repairing it, but have provided some sort of back-up service.  
> It's painfully slow, but functional enough to update.

As Pearl neared the top of the hill, she felt her hands slipping from the bar of the glider. With a glance down, she dropped, landing on the top of the hill with a stumble. With a sigh, she turned back towards the plateau, drawing her sword and holding it up to catch the light.   
On the tower, the group watched her land, and saw the flash of her sword.   
Quickly, Connie drew her own sword, reflecting back a flash of her own.   
Pearl smiled and nodded. Replacing her sword, she cautiously walked down the hill, joining the path ahead. 

As Pearl made her way along the path, she took note of the torn banners atop the posts and the crumbling ruins ahead. As she turned a corner, she heard a grunt, and look up with horror into the long face of a large red creature with a curled horn atop its head. With a snarl, it stared down at her, drawing a sword from the sheath on its hip. 

On the tower, the group watched in horror as Pearl took a step back, the large creature approaching her. Suddenly, Pearl turned and bolted, dashing for the walls of the nearby ruins. As she rounded a corner, another of the creatures stepped from the room, and she almost screeched to a halt. On the other side of the ruins, they could see two more of the large creatures running towards the commotion, alerted by the calls of the others. Pearl darted, sliding between one’s legs and jumping up, bolting towards the path as the group of monsters chased after her. 

“ **Come on Pearl, run!** ” Amethyst called stepping closer to the edge. Garnet placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back slightly.   
Connie looked at the path ahead and gasped. Pearl was heading straight towards another monster. Quickly, she drew her sword and held it up, catching the now fading light. She angled it, attempting to catch the flash just right, and with relief, she saw the spot run across the monster's eyes, and it covered them with a wince as Pearl ran past unseen. Connie sighed with relief, sheathing her sword again.   
Garnet gave her a thumbs up. “ **Good thinking, Connie.** ” 

As Pearl rounded the base of another hill, she saw a stone bridge, and to her right, another shrine. Panting, she glanced back towards the monsters, still doggedly following her. Pausing to catch her breath, she drew her bow and let loose with an arrow, nailing one in the eye. As it fell and faded into smoke, the others hesitated, and Pearl took the opportunity to dart towards the shrine. Quickly, she almost slapped the slate down on the surface of the pedestal, nervously watching the monsters as the device registered and the door unlocked. As they gathered around and seemed to fight over their fallen brethren's weapon, she stepped into the lift, and they disappeared from sight as she went below. 

“ ** _Whew..._** ” Steven sighed, leaning against the structure of the tower. “ **That was scary...** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **I’ll admit, I was worried there. I mean, I've seen Pearl face worse odds with a laugh, but that’s when she could regenerate. Now that she’s mortal...** ” she shook her head. “ **Not good odds.** ” she crossed her arms. “ **I’m glad she’s aware of that. She... did have a habit of racing into danger without any concern for herself. It’s good that she’s picking her battles more carefully here.** ”   
“ **I wonder what those things were?** ” Connie asked as she pulled her binoculars out of her bag and used them to get a better view as the monsters returned to the ruins.   
Amethyst sighed as she sat down. “ **I dunno... Pearl looked kinda freaked out too. Maybe they’re new too? Like those little red guys?** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Well, whatever they were, they looked dangerous. So it’s a good thing Pearl decided to leave us up here. We would have slowed her down. Plus, Connie wouldn’t have been in a position to blind that one so Pearl could get past.** ” she added as the girl blushed.   
Amethyst quickly stood and pulled Connie into a hug that Steven quickly joined in on. “ **Smooth move, Con-con.** ” 

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As Pearl returned to the surface, she nervously glanced around the side of the shrine. Seeing that the monsters had left, she breathed a sigh of relief. “ **What the hell were those** **things?...** ” she muttered. Glancing at the rapidly sinking sun, she groaned. “ **And it’s almost nightfall... great.** ” Glancing towards the bridge, she saw the orange glow of another tower some distance beyond it. “ **Okay, if I can just make that, I can move the others** **over** **, wait out the rest of the night...** ” Nodding, she stepped off the platform, jogging along the path, eyes scanning ahead for danger. 

As she crossed the bridge, she started to walk along the shore of the river. A blue creature in the water poked its head above the surface, and as Pearl paused to watch it, it jumped up and fired a rock at her. Pearl easily deflected it with her shield, the rock bouncing back and hitting it square in the face. The creature exploded in dark smoke, and Pearl gave a faint smile. “ **Huh, an Octorok... Well, it’s nice to see something familiar for a change...** ” she shook her head, walking on. 

Pearl cautiously slipped through the trees, keeping the small encampment in sight. Glancing ahead, she saw the tower looming ahead, but stifled a groan as she saw it was on the other side of the river. Looking around, she saw a series of boulders sticking out of the river, and plotted out a route. As she collected herself, she took a deep breath and dashed forwards, running and hopping across the water to the next boulder. Another Octorok leapt out of the water nearby, and Pearl quickly paused and raised her shield against the rock before she darted towards the next boulder. Another quick dodge and leap and she was on the other side, scrambling quickly up the grassy slope to get out of range of the rock-spitting monster. 

Sighing, Pearl steered clear of the small monster camp as she moved closer to the tower. Glancing at the sun as it slipped beneath the horizon, she nodded and started climbing, grateful for the lattice design of the tower’s walls as it provided plentiful handholds, but simultaneously cursing it as the rough edges dug into her fingers. At the first ledge, she paused, catching her breath and stretching her fingers out as she watched the Stalkoblins briefly scramble out below. “ **Ugh, I really need to find some gloves...** ” she muttered. After a moment, she started up again, one Stalkoblin half-heartedly throwing a stone towards her; it bounced against the outside of the ledge. 

On the Plateau, Connie watched through the binoculars as Pearl climbed the tower in the gloom. “ **Okay, she’s at the tower. A couple of ledges up now.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Once she’s got it turned on, she’ll probably come back for us. Kids, collect your bags.** ”   
As Steven shouldered his bag, Connie quickly threw her bag on and gave another look towards the tower. “ **She’s at the top!** ” she called back.   
As they gathered to watch, the tower flashed blue as motes of light spiralled up the tower as three vanes at the top popped up and met. 

After a moment, there was a smaller shimmer, and Pearl appeared behind them. “ **Hi.** ” she smiled.   
Amethyst dashed over and threw her arms around her, grinning. “ **Hiii** **...** ” she murmured into Pearls chest.   
Garnet chuckled as she ruffled Pearls hair. “ **Glad you’re safe.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Same here. And on that note... Connie?** ” she caught the girl’s eye. “ **I saw the spot of light going across that... whatever’s, face. I didn’t even know it was there until then. I would have run right into it if you hadn’t done that. Thank you.** ”   
Connie blushed. “ **You gave me the idea when you used the same trick to signal us... But you’re welcome.** ” 

Pearl reached out and ruffled her hair with a grin. “ **So, how about we relocate over there?** ” she nodded towards the new tower. “ **We can stay there for the night to avoid the Stals, then I can head out through the mountain pass and clear a path for us.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Sounds like a plan.** ” she said as she rested a hand on Pearl’s shoulder.   
Pearl reached past Amethyst’s arm to collect the slate as they gathered around her. “ **Okay, hold on everyone**.” 

As they reappeared on the tower’s top, they glanced over towards the west and saw the Great Plateau, its tower glowing bright blue in the darkness.   
A faint beeping noise started up as Pearl took a step, and she glanced down at the slate.   
“ **Pearl, what’s that?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl looked over. “ **Oh. When I activated this tower, it gave the slate a new function. Basically, some sort of radar. The beeping means that there’s a shrine over that way.** ” she held the slate and moved again, glancing up. “ **Hmm... Looks like it’s somewhere between the peaks...** ” she checked the map. “ **Hmm... It’s a shame that they don’t appear on the map until I actually locate** **them** **...** ” she sighed and put the slate away, turning back to them. “ **I can have a look for it at daybreak.** ” 

Garnet nodded. “ **Alright. Just be careful though. It looks too much like a canyon to me. Remember Shatter Canyon?** ”   
Pearl looked away with a shudder. “ **Every time I close my eyes...** ” she whispered.   
“ **That was a really bad day...** ” Garnet wrapped an arm around her as Pearl looked back, sadness flaring in her eyes.   
Connie and Steven glanced at each other.   
Amethyst sighed. “ **I’m** **gonna** **assume that was a war thing...** ”   
“ **It was a dust-bath...** ” Garnet muttered. “ **We lost more friends there than in any other battle in the war...** ”   
Pearl nodded slowly. “ **The narrow walls of the canyon made it impossible for us to fight effectively... Most fusions were too big...** ” she shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. “ **The war almost ended there...** ”   
“ **Okay, canyons are bad then...** ” Amethyst stared, moving forwards to hug them both.   
“ **The worst...** ” Garnet muttered. 

Pearl sighed deeply. “ **But, this not technically a canyon... It’s a mountain pass. There seems to be a road going through, so people likely travel through there all the time... It should be safe...** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Still... be careful. In this whole ‘** ** _save Hyrule_** **’ thing. You’re my oldest surviving friend, I don’t want to lose you too...** ”   
Pearl smiled faintly. “ **Sentimental dweeb...** ” she chuckled, patting one of Garnet’s hands. “ **You of all people should know that I’m not that easy to kill.** ”   
Garnet chuckled. “ **Me and anyone else who saw you in action.** ”   
“ **Correction.** ” Pearl smirked. “ **You and anyone** **else** **who** ** _survived_** **seeing me in action.** ” 

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As the sky lightened, Pearl checked the slate and sighed. “ **Okay, break’s over. I want to get through the pass before nightfall.** ”   
“ **Right. Have fun.** ” Garnet grinned.   
Pearl nodded as she pulled out the paraglider. “ **I’m just hoping I can get used to landing this thing...** ”   
“ **You’re a fast learner, you’ll get it.** ” Amethyst grinned.   
She stood on the edge of the tower’s rim and sighed. “ **Here’s hoping...** ” she muttered as she jumped off.   
They watched as she glided down, angling towards the space between the twin peaks nearby. 

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As Pearl left the shrine, she sighed as she pulled out the slate. “ **Okay, let’s see... hmm...** ” She examined the map and finally nodded. “ **Right, looks like there’s a bridge on the other side of the canyon. The king did say to go north past the peaks, so...** ” she put the slate away and slid down to the path beside the river. She started walking, making sure to keep one eye out for Octoroks in the river or falling rubble from above. 

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Pearl emerged into the sunshine, and she breathed a sigh of relief, glancing back towards the pass. As she continued on, she saw two bridges. A small one to the south and a larger one to the north. Turning north, she saw a strange structure ahead, shaped like a horse's head. Curious, she crossed the bridge, making her way towards the building. 

< ** _Hello there!_** > a young woman called, and Pearl nodded.   
< ** _Hello..._** > she looked around. < ** _Uh, I’m new to the area. What is this place?_** >   
The woman looked at her curiously. < ** _Why, this here’s the Duelling Peaks stable. Softest beds this side of the peaks._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Oh? What kind of services you do have?_** >   
< ** _Why, we can board any horse you have. Give you a safe place to rest for the night. Monsters don’t usually attack when there’s a group of people around, so most folks plan their trips to take stables into account. You have to make your own meals, but if you board a horse, you get a free locally-made sa_** ** _dd_** ** _le and bridle for ‘em._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That sounds nice._** > Looking around, she spotted another shrine nearby, surrounded by brambles. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... I’ll be back._** >

As Pearl cautiously climbed into the small ledge, she looked down towards the shrine. “ **Okay, I should be able to just glide over those...** ” she muttered, eyeing off the thorns.   
She landed with a small splash beside the shrine and folded up the glider with a sigh. “ **Right, I’ll sort this shrine out, then figure out how to get the others past the thorns...** ” 

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On the tower, the group watched the small camp of monsters below.   
Amethyst smirked. “ **Meat meat meat meat, let’s do the meat dance.** ” she said in a strange voice, as the kids giggled.   
“ **They do seem to be happy about their meal.** ” Steven smiled.   
Connie smirked. “ **Pearl would totally steal it though.** ”   
“ **Oh, naturally.** ” Amethyst waved a hand.   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Well, it’s not nailed down. Fair game.** ”   
“ **Noooo...** ” Steven moaned. “ **She’s so mean...** ”   
Garnet grinned. “ **The meanest.** ”   
“ ** _Such_** **a criminal.** ” Connie giggled. 

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Pearl found herself outside the shrine, and her eyes widened in surprise. “ **Oh... well that makes it easier...** ” she mused, looking around at the pond, now mysteriously cleared of brambles. Pulling out the slate, she shrugged. “ **Even if they do get wet feet...** ” 

Pearl appeared on the tower, and they looked back happily. “ **Pearl’s back!** ” Steven called, running over. “ **I get** **first** **hug!** ” he said as he did just that.   
Pearl rolled her eyes as she returned the hug, patting his hair fondly. “ **I made to over the other side of the pass. There's a stable over there, and monsters apparently don’t attack large groups of people, so how about I take you over there? There's a shrine quite close, albeit in a shallow pond...** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Okay, just let me take my shoes off first. I don’t want to get them wet...** ”   
“ **Don’t worry. Garnet will have to carry you. It’s about knee-deep on me, so...** ” 

The group appeared on the shrine’s platform, and looked over at the oddly designed building. Pearl stepped off with a small splash as Garnet picked the others up. “ **Come on, let’s go have a proper look around.** ”   
Once Garnet had set everybody back down, they wandered around the stable. Nearby, they saw a man standing looking into the sky. < ** _...blood moon..._** >   
Pearl paused. < ** _Huh?_** >   
The man turned. < ** _Huh?_** >   
Pearl stared at him for a moment. < ** _Uh, you were muttering something about... blood moons? I was just curious..._** >   
The man nodded. < ** _Blood moons are a fascinating subject indeed. I’ve been doing rigorous research day and night to figure out the mystery of that blood moon._** >   
< ** _But,_** ** _what is a blood moon?_** > Pearl asked. 

The man’s face lit up, clearly in his element. < ** _Whenever the clock strikes midnight on unlucky nights, the sky turns blood red. That's the blood moon. When that happens, monsters come back to life, no matter how many times you’ve defeated them. It's happened for so long now that no one really pays it any mind, but I have no plans to give up on my research._** >   
Pearl’s eyes widened. < ** _They come back to life?!_** >   
The man stared pacing back and forth. < ** _Why do they come back to life? Why does it only happen when the sky turns red? No one really has the answers to those questions. It's a mysterious phenomenon..._** > He paused and looked at her. < ** _If you learn anything about the blood moon as you travel, be sure to come back and tell me._** >

The group moved a short distance away, Amethyst glancing at Pearl with concern. “ **Pearl, what’s wrong.** ”   
Pearl shook her head slowly. “ **Um... Okay. I just found out that... there’s this thing called the blood moon. The sky turns red, and... monsters magically come back to life.** ”   
“ **Whoa... Seriously?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Apparently, it’s happened for so long, no-one actually worries about it anymore.** ” she groaned. “ **That means that after a blood moon, everything I’ll defeat will be back the next time I visit that area... That’s going to get annoying...** ” she sighed. “ **Well, that’s something to worry about some other time... Let’s just... check this place out some more...** ” 

Wandering inside, they saw a strange-looking man with a large bag on his back sitting down at the back. As he looked up, he smiled widely. < ** _Hoy!_** > he called, waving them over.   
Pearl sighed and stopped in front of him. < ** _Greetings._** >   
< ** _I don’t believe I've made your acquaintance! The name’s Beedle, but you can call me – Actually, let’s just stick with Beedle. But even if you forget my face, you can always remember me by my beetle-shaped backpack!_** >   
As Pearl’s eyes roamed over the overly-large bag, her eyes widened. ‘ _How does he even lift that thing?!_ ’ she silently mused.   
Beedle grinned. < ** _Despite these dangerous times, you’ll find me travelling all over Hyrule to fulfil your shopping needs. I stock many special bugs and must-have items for travellers, and I always charge a fair price... or my name’s not Beedle!_** > he laughed. 

“ **Pearl, this guy’s weird.** ” Amethyst muttered.   
Pearl glanced at her. “ **Yeah, but he sells stuff. I should at least find out what he has. As soon as he’s done with his spiel...** ”   
< ** _I also buy all sorts of thing, if you’re in need of rupees. Gemstones in particular fetch a high price! How can I help you today?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I’d like to see what you have to offer._** >   
< ** _Ah, of course!_** > he smiled, pulling out a table. On it was some arrows, a couple of bundles of arrows, a butterfly in a jar, a small frog in a jar and a strange purple bladder tied to the desk.   
Pearl pointed at the arrows. < ** _How much for all of them?_** >   
< ** _Ooh, big spender! Let’s see..._** ** _One hundred and twenty_** ** _rupees for all twenty of the single arrows, and sixty for the two bundles of five._** >   
Pearl reached for her small pouch of rupees and counted them out. “ **Uhh** **... Yes.** ”   
She placed the rupees on the table. < **One hundred-and-** **eigh** **ty rupees total.** >   
Beedle grinned widely. < ** _Thank you!_** > he exclaimed, picking up the rupees as Pearl collected all of the arrows, slipping them into the quiver at her side. 

Garnet stood nearby. “ **Pearl, the frog...** ”   
Pearl glanced at her with a sigh. “ **What is it with you and** **frogs?...** ” shaking her head, she pointed at the small clear jar. < ** _How much?_** >   
Beedle smiled. < ** _Ten rupees._** >   
Pearl examined her bag again and sighed. “ **Sorry Garnet. I don’t have enough left...** ” < ** _Sorry, I’m out. Thanks for the arrows._** > she nodded, stepping away from the strange man.   
< ** _Thank you, come again!_** > he waved.   
Garnet sighed. “ **Drat...** ”   
“ **Maybe I can catch one for you at some point...** ” Pearl rolled her eyes, patting her friends' arm. “ **Unless you can find ten rupees around here, then you can buy it yourself.** ”   
Garnet paused. “ **They look like** **gem** **shards...** ” she stated.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Yeah. I find it creepy too, believe me, but they’ve been Hyrule’s currency for so long, people used to say that it was sent by the Goddesses.** **So** **there’s not much we can do about that. If we want to buy anything anywhere in Hyrule, we have to use rupee shards.** ” she looked around at the group. “ **I’m finding it helpful to just think of them as coloured glass...** ” she sighed. “ **Just so you know, the greens ones are, well, ones. So, you’ll need ten of those for the frog. If you can find a couple of blue ones though, those are worth five each. If you find a red rupee, you can get two frogs though.** ”   
Connie looked around. “ **Where did you find them?** ”   
“ **Fighting things. Used to be that you could find them by cutting long grass, but I haven’t found any that way yet, so I guess people have stopped being so careless and dropping them everywhere...** ” she shrugged. 

Just then, they heard a strange gurgling noise. As they looked around for the source, Pearl blushed deeply. “ **Oh no...** ” she sighed, rubbing her stomach. Glancing around, she winced. “ **It begins...** ” she grumbled. “ **In my defence, I haven’t eaten in** ** _literally_** **thousands of years.** ”   
“ **Pearl, you need to eat something.** ” Garnet said.   
Pearl sighed. “ **I know. I don’t like it... but I know...** ” she groaned. “ **Ugh, fine... I was told that we have to cook for ourselves. There’s a cooking pot outside. Let's just... try to find something I can** **actually consider eating** **...** ” 

As Pearl finished rubbing salt into the small steaks, she set the meat to grill before turning to start skewering some mushrooms on some small sticks.   
“ **So.** **.. how long has it been? On Earth, I mean?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl glanced up. “ **Uh... About four hours now.** ”   
“ **Wow... So that means...** ” Connie went silent for a moment.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It’s lunch-time. Okay, it might be a little late for lunch, but my stomach says differently, so...** ”   
Amethyst nodded. “ **Don’t try to argue with a stomach, Pearl. You’ll only suffer for it.** ”   
“ **I’m going to suffer either way...** ” Pearl muttered. “ **Digestion’s disgusting, Amethyst.** ”   
The shorter woman shrugged. “ **Yeah, but you did it before you became a Gem, right?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **I suppose... But I always had... issues, with some types of food...** ” 

“ **Issues?** ” Connie asked. “ **What kind of issues?** ”   
Pearl grimaced as her stomach gave another deep growl. “ **Um... It varies. Sometimes it just... feels gross, or doesn’t feel right in my mouth. Other times, it just doesn’t seem to agree with me. That's mostly spicy things. Or the taste is too strong and overwhelms me...** ” she sighed. “ **Naturally, adults just thought I was a fussy eater, but I genuinely just couldn’t handle some foods.** ”   
“ **Oh... You seem to know what you’re doing here though.** ” Connie said, pointing at the meal as Pearl flipped the steaks.   
The thin woman shrugged. “ **Well, I was taught how to cook from the age of twelve.** ”   
“ **Yeah?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl glanced around at them. “ **Of course. All** **Gerudo** **receive lessons before we leave the town. It's basically skills to find ourselves a husband, not that I cared about that...** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **But we received lessons not just on how to talk to a man, but also how to cook for him and any eventual children. And with my memory, well... Just because I didn’t have a reason to use those skills doesn’t mean that I went and forgot them.** ” she finished skewering the mushrooms and set the four of them on the side of the pan to cook, pausing to check the meat. “ **Because we had very little resources in the valley, and no way of knowing what we’d have access to once we had left, we were taught how to make do with whatever we had. If all you can find is a leaf, some basic herbs and a fish, then you stuff the fish with the herbs, wrap it in a leaf, and steam it.** ” she held up at small pink lump of salt. “ **I was lucky enough to find some of this Rock Salt earlier, so that opens up a multitude of possibilities.** ” she crumbled the salt in her hands, sprinkling some of it over the steaks. She paused to flip them again and sprinkled the rest of the salt before she turned the mushroom skewers. 

She looked up again. “ **Sorry if the steaks are a little too salty for you. It just with all of the climbing, fighting and running I have to do, I want to avoid muscle cramps.** ”   
“ **That’s fair.** ” Steven nodded.   
Amethyst shrugged. “ **Eh, I’ve eaten weirder things than salty meat.** ” she paused and blushed. “ **I... should have worded that better.** ”   
“ **I** **can honestly say that I** **’ve never partaken.** ” Pearl snickered as Garnet snorted.   
Amethyst groaned and covered her darkening face with her hands. “ **Staaahp** **...** ”   
“ **Oh geez...** ” Steven muttered, blushing.   
Connie giggled. “ **Oh god...** ” 

Pearl chuckled as she poked the steaks with the tip of a small knife. “ **On other, more pressing matters... The meat’s almost ready.** ” she gave the skewers a quick look, giving them another twist. “ **And the skewers.** ” she added as she stood and quickly went over to the front desk of the stable. She returned with some small wooden bowls, and sat down. Using the knife, she pulled the steaks out into the bowls, topping them with the now evenly browned skewers, except for one which she took for herself. “ **Okay guys, eat up.** ” she sighed, eyeing off her steak with distrust.   
“ **Umm, Hyrule food is safe, right?** ” Connie asked nervously, eyeing the mushrooms suspiciously.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes. Actually, there are no poisonous things here.** ”   
“ **What?! Really?** ” the girl eyes widened.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, I've heard of places with strange miasmas that make you dizzy or even pass out. And there are some creatures that have odd effects that people considered poisoning, but... There’s nothing I know of that actually is poisonous in the literal sense. I mean, a lot seems to have changed, and it’s been more than a few thousand years, so I can’t say for sure, but... As far as I know, just about everything is safe to eat here.** ” 

Amethyst chewed a mushroom thoughtfully. “ **Mmmmm** **.... Tastes pretty good too.** ” she sighed, pulling another one from the stick.   
Steven nodded happily; his skewer almost cleared. “ **So tasty!** ”   
“ **Are these the good** **kinda** **‘shrooms?** ” Amethyst smirked, wiggling her eyebrows.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **I don’t know. Tell me if anybody seems to grow an extra head.** ”   
“ **So, why didn’t you make a skewer for yourself?** ” Connie asked, finally starting on hers.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Texture.** ” she shrugged. “ **Mushrooms don’t feel right in my mouth. The texture’s not something that I like.** ” she used the knife to cut a piece of the steak off, glaring at it. “ **Meat’s usually okay, it’s mostly the fact that it was alive that bothers me...** ” she glanced at them. “ **Uhh** **... I don’t like the taste of any fatty** **bits,** **gristle feels wrong in my mouth... and I hate finding veins or bones...** ” she returned to glaring at the small chunk of meat with disdain. Her stomach gave an extra loud growl, and she winced.   
“ **Pearl, just eat the meat. You’ll feel better.** ” Amethyst sighed.   
Pearl glanced at her. “ **Do I get to blame you if I end up being sick later?** ”   
“ **Nope.** ”   
“ **Spoilsport...** ” 

With a deep sigh, Pearl squeezed her eyes shut and stuck the cooling meat into her mouth. They watched as she shuddered and slowly started chewing.   
After a couple of minutes, Amethyst sighed. “ **Pearl, it’s chewed enough. I’m surprised there’s anything left. Just swallow it already and finish the rest. It's probably getting cold by now...** ”   
Pearl cracked an eye open to glare at her. With obvious reluctance, she swallowed, shuddering again. “ **Do I have to?** ”   
“ **Pearl?** ” Connie asked, drawing her attention. “ **Like you said, you’ll be doing a lot of running and climbing. That means that you’ll need protein. Lots of protein. Which means meat and eggs.** **So** **unless you really like eggs and can find a large supply of them, you’ll have to get used to eating meat. Fish might be better than red meat though... According to my mother.** ” she shrugged.   
Pearl glanced at the rest of her steak. “ **Hmmm...** **Fish is flaky... Easier to chew...** **I might be better off with fish...** ” she muttered, reaching over and tipping the meat out into Amethyst's bowl. Standing, she walked over towards the river, pausing to rise the bowl out. 

As they watched, eagerly eating their own steaks as Amethyst finished Pearl’s, they saw her standing in the shallows near the shore. Suddenly, her arm shot out, and she straightened up with a fish wiggling in her hand.   
“ **Whoa...** ” Garnet breathed.   
Pearl slapped the fish against a nearby rock and it went still. Calmly, she turned and walked to another rock, taking the small knife out.   
Just out of sight, she filleted the fish, dumping the unwanted bits into the river where other fish eagerly snapped them up.   
Finally, she returned with the pieces of fish in the bowl. She placed them into the cooking pot, and as they sizzled, she quickly turned and went back, rising the bowl out again before she gave the knife a quick clean. 

Before Pearl sat down, she checked the fish, nodding briefly. “ **Hopefully, there’s still enough salt left in the pan...** ”   
“ **That was cool.** ” Connie breathed.   
When Pearl glanced up, Steven was starry-eyed. “ **You just...** **blam** **! Caught it with your bare hands!** ” he almost bounced in place.   
“ **Fear no fish.** ” Pearl smirked, carefully using the flat of the knife to flip the pieces.   
Garnet chuckled. “ **T-shirt slogan?** ”   
“ **No...** ” Pearl blushed. “ **Sticker on a car window...** ”   
As they laughed, she shook her head. “ **In my defence... it was a four-wheel drive.** ” she added. 

Pearl slipped the last piece into her bowl and sighed. “ **Okay, let’s try this again...** ” she muttered. Nervously, she attempted to pick a piece up, but it fell apart. She shrugged. “ **Well, if all else fails, I won’t have to chew...** ” she picked up a little piece and popped it into her mouth, chewing it for a few seconds before swallowing. “ **Okay...** ” she sighed. “ **That’s much easier.** ”   
The others grinned as she grabbed another piece.   
“ **Man, it’s good to see you actually eating something.** ” Amethyst grinned.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Especially now that we actually need it.** ”   
Pearl blushed. “ **Well, I should be fine as long as there’s fish. I also know how to make some desserts that I should be okay with... But I'll need to get the right ingredients first.** ”   
“ **Like chocolate cake?** ” Steven leaned forwards hopefully.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I don’t know. Cocoa beans might not have evolved here... I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them though. But if I can get hold of some honey, I can make some pretty nice candy...** ”   
Steven and Connie glanced at each other, grins widening. “ **Candy?!** ” 

Pearl smiled. “ **Yes. There are other things that I can make, but they can be time consuming. I mean, there’s apple pie, but I'd have to make the pasty from scratch. That takes time, so...** ” she shrugged. “ **But with the honey, I can also make glazed meat, or honeyed apples...** ”   
Steven’s eyes shone. “ **They sound delicious!** ”   
Pearl finished her meal and sighed. “ **Uh-huh... At least my stomach has stopped complaining...** ” Glancing around at the darkening sky, she nodded. “ **Okay, we should head over and wash the bowls out.** ” Standing, she looked at her bowl. “ **Hmm... Maybe I can come to some sort of deal with the stablemaster, see if we can keep these for later...** ” 

Pearl came back from the desk with a sigh. “ **Well, he wants fifty rupees for them...** ” she glanced over at the river, then back towards Beedle, who was now settling down to sleep. “ **Hang on a second...** ”   
They watched as she quickly spoke with the strange man, returning a moment later.   
“ **Right. He buys fish.** ” Pearl smiled. “ **Apparently, he’ll buy Hyrule Bass for six rupees each.** **So** **if I pop over to the river and catch at least ten of them, I'll have enough for the bowls and maybe Garnet’s frog too.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **I’ll catch a couple of fish, buy my own frog. You just concentrate on the bowls.** ”   
“ **Okay.** ” Pearl nodded, turning to the kids. “ **Connie, can you watch our backs? It’ll be night-time soon, and I don’t want a Stal sneaking up behind me whilst I’ve got a handful of fish...** ”   
Connie nodded, drawing her sword. “ **Got it. Biscuit, back me up?** ”   
Steven grinned, strapping his small shield to his arm. “ **You got it, Strawberry.** ”   
“ **You can c** **ount Jelly in too.** ” Amethyst stood, grabbing the small wooden club at her feet. 

As Pearl and Garnet stood in the shadows, Steven, Connie and Amethyst stood behind them, keeping watch. As Pearl caught her first fish, slapping it hard against the rock to kill it, a scrabbling noise drew their attention, and they saw two Stalkoblins pop out of the ground, each holding a small wooden club.   
“ **Kids, one hit should knock them down. Smash their skulls to finish them, or they’ll just come back.** ” Pearl called back as she slipped the fish into her bag.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yes ma’am.** ” she called, holding her sword out. She swung at the creature, and it fell to the ground. She grimaced as its bones kept moving, but she quickly zeroed in on the skull and smacked it with her sword, sighing as it dissolved into smoke.   
Steven bash the other one with his shield, knocking it back.   
Amethyst darted in with a wooden club of her own, smashing its skull with a grunt. “ **Ugh, those things are creepy.** ” she muttered.   
“ ** _Believe_** **me, I know.** ” Pearl called back as she caught her third fish. 

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As Pearl bagged her tenth fish, Garnet yelped and tossed a fish onto the shore behind her.   
Amethyst quickly hit its head with her club, and it stopped moving.   
“ **Okay, that’s harder than it looks...** ” Garnet muttered, glancing at Pearl.   
Pearl shrugged as Amethyst picked up the fish and handed it to Garnet. “ **Well, I can help you with your second one...** ” Glancing around in the early morning light, she sighed. “ **Except I’ve mostly cleared this stretch of river for now...** ” Looking around, she spotted a fish on the other side of the river, and nodded. “ **There’s one... hang on.** ”   
Nocking an arrow, she drew the bow back and took aim.   
With a small splash, the arrow struck, and the fish floated to the surface. Pearl smiled as she shouldered the bow, quickly walking to the bridge and crossing over to reach the fish that was now slowly drifting downstream. 

“ **Here you go.** ” she smirked, placing the fish into Garnet’s hands. “ **Hold this for a second...** ” she muttered as she pulled the arrow out, returning it to her quiver. “ **Right, that’s two for your frog, and ten for our bowls. Let’s go sell these.** ” she smiled, walking away to the stable as the others followed.   
“ **Show off...** ” Garnet muttered, holding onto her two fish.   
Amethyst smirked. “ **So what’s new?** ” 

Pearl stepped away from the man and nodded at Garnet. “ **Your turn.** ” she said, walking past.   
As Garnet handed the two fish over, Pearl talked to the man behind the desk, handing over most of the rupees and receiving a stack of wooden bowls in exchange.   
Once she had received the payment, Garnet then pointed at the small jar with the frog, holding up the small jewel shards she had just been given.   
Beedle held out his hand, and Garnet collected the jar, receiving two small green rupees alongside it.   
“ **Happy now,** **F** **roggy?** ” Pearl smirked.   
Garnet held the jar up to her face and smiled at the little creature inside. “ **Yes.** ”   
“ **I wonder what kind of frog it is?** ” Connie asked, glancing at Pearl.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, Beedle here called it the Hot-Footed Frog. Presumably, with a name like that, it’s probably pretty quick, so if you want to keep it, you probably shouldn’t open the jar** **for too long** **.** ”   
Garnet shook her head. “ **I’m** **gonna** **release it. Frogs should be free.** ” 

Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Well, you probably shouldn’t do it around here, or Beedle will probably just catch it again and sell it to some other sucker.** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Maybe on the Plateau? No-one seems to be able to get up there, so it should be safe there.** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Okay... Let’s walk away a little bit first. I don’t want to startle anyone when we disappear suddenly...** ” 

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As they appeared near the first shrine that they had been shown, Pearl glanced at the nearby pool. “ **Here should be okay. The other pool has fish, which will try to eat your little friend there. This one seems empty, so...** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Yeah, thanks Pearl.** ” she said, kneeling down.   
Carefully, Garnet removed the cork and tipped the jar.   
The frog blinked slowly, giving a low drawn-out croak. 

Suddenly, there was a splash, and the jar was empty. They watched as the frog swam quickly to the other side, sitting in the shallows before it turned to looked at them. Slowly, it croaked loudly before its tongue snapped out, collecting a passing fly.   
“ **Well, you were right about it being quick...** ” Connie giggled.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Well, if the frog-obsessed weirdo is quite done, perhaps we should get a move on?** ”   
Garnet stood, glancing back at the frog. “ **Sure.** ” she smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The four-wheel drive with the ‘Fear No Fish’ sticker? That was my dad’s Toyota 4-runner. I couldn’t resist putting it in here... 
> 
> See you next weekend!


	7. Training Exercise

“ **Okay, looks like I just head north from here...** ” Pearl said, checking the map on the slate.   
Amethyst huffed. “ ** _Peeaarrllll_** **.... Can we come with you this time? I’m** **gonna** **get... Nope, too late.** ” she crossed her arms and groaned. “ **I’m bored.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes, zooming in on the map. “ **Really Amethyst? All** **of** **these people, who have no idea of** ** _any_** **Earth pranks, and you can’t think of** ** _anything_** **to do?** ”   
“ **Ugh...** ” the younger Gem scoffed. “ **It’s no fun if they can’t understand you making fun of ‘** **em** **...** ”   
Steven sat down nearby. “ **I’m bored too... And I don’t** **wanna** **prank anyone...** ”   
“ **Yeah, the animals are interesting, but there really isn’t much else to do around here...** ” Connie sighed.   
Pearl glanced around at them before looking at Garnet, sitting beside her. “ **I suppose you have something to say?** ”   
Garnet crossed her arms. “ **We’re coming with you.** ” she smirked.   
As the children giggled, Garnet and Amethyst fist-bumped. “ **Good one, G.** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Fine... Luckily, it looks like the path is fairly simple from here. Head north, stay on the path, and if all else fails... run.** ” 

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After leaving the stable, they moved north until they reached a fork in the road. Pearl waved them on. “ **That way.** ”   
Shortly after, they came to a long stone bridge. Large chunks had fallen from the side, and they could see visible cracks across the structure. Despite this, a man riding a horse ahead moved onto the bridge without hesitation.   
Pearl examined it cautiously. “ **Well, it looks stable enough to cross. I mean, going by the map, there isn’t many other options for people travelling to** **Kakariko** **Village. And** **that guy** **probably uses it often enough to trust it.** ” she shrugged. “ **Besides, if a weak spot collapses, at least we won’t fall too far.** ”   
As they nervously crossed, Pearl nodded at the man, who tilted his head and moved past without a word. 

Once leaving the bridge, they found themselves looking at the sheer walls of a canyon. Pearl and Garnet glanced at each other nervously.   
“ **Canyons... oy...** ” Pearl sighed, taking a deep breath.   
Up ahead, they could see a strange-looking tree wriggling around.   
< ** _Ooh, I need to get back before Grandpa yells at me. Shoko..._** >   
Steven gasped. “ **Pearl, that tree just...** ”   
She nodded. “ **I heard it too. Um... There was the** **Deku** **Tree back in my time. Maybe this one is... related?** ” Stepping forwards, she nervously waved. < ** _Um... Hello?_** >   
The tree startled, staring at her. < ** _Shalaka_** ** _?! You! You can see me?!_** >

Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes. We all can._** >   
The tree looked around at them in wonder. < ** _It’s been one hundred years since anyone has been able to see me!_** > he wiggled a bit in excitement. < ** _I’m_** ** _Hestu_** ** _, and I need your help!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, how?_** >   
< ** _Those monsters over there stole my beloved maracas! I think they’re still there on the other side of those rocks. I can’t use my powers without them... Shoko... So please! PLEASE get my maracas back from them!_** > he pleaded.   
Pearl looked back towards the rocks. “ **Hmm...** ”   
“ **What’s up Pearl?** ” Amethyst nudged her.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Hestu** **here had his maracas stolen by monsters, and needs help getting them back.** ”   
Steven gasped. “ **It’s a musical emergency! We have to help him!** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Stay here, I'll be** **right** **back.** ” she added as she walked towards the rocks, drawing her sword as she went. 

Pearl glanced around the edge of the rocks. She saw three of the small imp-like creatures she was now familiar with, but they were oddly blue instead of the usual red. ‘ _Hmm... Don’t know about the colour, but I can take ‘_ _em_ _._ ’ she mused, bracing herself. She glanced around the area, spotting a glowing purple chest on top of a wooden platform. ‘ _In there, maybe?... So how am I going to..._ ’ As a monster snorted and turned her way, Pearl ducked back. Frowning, she glanced back at the waiting group near Hestu before she turned and slowly started climbing up the side of the rocky outcrop.   
At the top, Pearl crouched, slowly removing her bow and an arrow. Nocking it, she cautiously drew it, taking aim at one of the monsters holding a spear. 

The arrow pierced the skin right between its eyes, and as it fell and dissolved, the other two yelped. One started running for a small sword, and Pearl quickly drew another arrow and fired again. The creature caught it with a small rough wooden shield, and it spotted her, letting out a yell that drew the other ones’ attention. “ **Right...** ” Pearl grumbled, putting away her bow and drawing her sword.   
Leaping down, Pearl slashed across the monster's chest. It stumbled back, but screeched and ran forwards again, black blood oozing from the wound.   
Pearl’s eyes widened. “ **Okay, you’re stronger than the red ones, good to know.** ” she muttered as she deflected its strike, slashing again.   
Behind her, the other monster snuck around, weapon raised, but Pearl whipped around and parried its attack, sending the creature flying. It tumbled backwards over the edge of the cliff, and she heard a splash from below. Peering over the edge, she saw the creature haul itself out of the water, shaking its fists at her ineffectively as it gibbered and howled.   
Pearl looked at the chest on the platform, surprised to find that it had started glowing golden. “ **Huh, weird...** ” she shrugged, climbing up the short ladder. Opening the chest, she smiled as she found a pair of brightly coloured maracas, which she took out and pocketed. 

Pearl returned from behind the rocks. “ **Mission accomplished.** ” she said with a grin. Opening the bag, she pulled out the maracas, and Hestu’s eyes lit up.   
< ** _SHALA-KALA! Those are... Those are my maracas! Please_** ** _giiiiive_** ** _them to_** ** _meeeeeeee_** ** _!_** > he whined desperately.   
Pearl rolled her eyes and handed them over. < ** _Okay, just calm down..._** >   
Hestu laughed and shook the maracas, his face falling as no sound was made. < ** _But wait! There’s something wrong with my maracas!_** > he gave them another silent shake. < ** _The_** ** _Korok_** ** _seeds inside are gone! How am I supposed to dance now?_** >   
“ **Are they broken?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Seems like it...** ”   
< ** _If I had just one_** ** _Korok_** ** _seed, I could sing, dance, and use my powers to help you. You see, I have the power of inventory expansion._** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Inventory expansion?_** >   
Hestu nodded sadly. < ** _Yes. I can magically make it so that you can carry more weapons, shields, bows... But only if I can use my powers. Without_** ** _Korok_** ** _seeds, I can do anything..._** > he sighed sadly. < ** _The children of the forest must have taken the_** ** _Korok_** ** _seeds from my beloved maracas. I never thought I'd be the target of one of their pranks. Shoko..._** > he sniffed sadly. < ** _But wait..._** > he sniffed again, more excitedly. < ** _Do you have a_** ** _Korok_** ** _seed?!_** >

Pearl reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. < ** _Uhh_** ** _, I've found a few of those weird little guys up on the plateau..._** > she opened the box to reveal three small strange smelling objects. < ** _For some reason, they gave me these for finding them._** >   
Hestu jumped with excitement. < ** _Korok_** ** _seeds! If you’ll give me just one_** ** _Korok_** ** _seed, I'll make your inventory bigger in return!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Alright, what can I get for all three of them?_** >   
Hestu giggled. < ** _I can give you two inventory spaces._** >   
Pearl nodded thoughtfully. < ** _Well,_** ** _it would be nice_** ** _to be able to carry a couple of extra weapons..._** >   
< ** _Done!_** > Hestu yelled, holding out a small barky hand. 

Pearl tipped the contents of the box into his hand. With practised movement, Hestu loaded them into the maracas, and gave them a small shake. < ** _Yes! Two inventory slots for weapons coming up!_** >   
With that, he started dancing and singing, shaking the maracas rhythmically as he wriggled and moved.   
Steven’s eyes lit up, and Amethyst clapped her hands with glee.   
Suddenly, he stopped, and a small burst of tiny fireworks came from the maracas. < ** _Done! You can now carry two extra weapons!_** > he laughed. He looked up at the sky and paused. < ** _Oh! Look at the time! I need to get back before Grandpa yells at me. Shoko... Sorry, I have to go. But I still need_** ** _Korok_** ** _seeds, so bring some to_** ** _Korok_** ** _Forest if you find any!_** >   
With that, he started walking away, humming and shaking the maracas as he went. 

Steven giggled. “ **He was funny, I liked him.** ”   
Amethyst danced a little. “ **His rhythm was** ** _muy_** **_bueno_** **.** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Eh, I found him a little annoying, to be honest... But he did do some kind of magic that allowed me to carry two extra weapons, so I guess I can’t dislike him...** ” she opened her bag and nodded. “ **Yeah, there does seem to be a bit more room in there. Neat.** ” Looking around, she nodded. “ **Okay,** **I guess I’ll try to find more of those** **Koroks** **then. But** **we should get going. It'll be dark soon, and I don’t want to deal with** **Stalkoblins** **...** ” 

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As the sun set, they stepped beneath the archway. Pearl looked around nervously. “ **Well, this must be** **Kakariko** **Village...** ”   
“ **Pearl, there’s a shrine up there.”** Connie pointed at the cliff above the village.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Well spotted. Come on, I'd best clear it now, whilst I still have the energy.** ” she started leading the way. “ **Besides, everyone’s going to bed soon, so I doubt I'll be able to talk to this** **Impa** **lady just yet...** ” 

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As Pearl and Amethyst stepped off the lift, they looked around the rather simple room.   
“ **Huh, this is different...** ” Pearl mused, looking around nervously. “ **There’s usually some sort of obvious puzzle that I have to use runes to solve. This is just... an empty room.** ”   
“ **Not completely empty.** ” Garnet nodded. “ **Treasure chests.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Well, yes, I meant apart from them.** ” she shrugged. “ **I don’t think this monk was actually trying...** ” she muttered as she went to the left and kicked the first chest open. Her eyes widened, and she grinned. “ **But I like him already.** ” she said, turning with a long two-handed blade in her right hand and a wicked grin on her face. Putting it into her bag, she strode over and opened the second chest, pulling out an oddly shaped shield. “ **This is also good.** ” Pearl nodded as she handed Connie a small wooden shield with metal reinforcements and bagged the new one.   
“ **Well, the monk said something when we stepped off the lift, but we didn’t understand it...** ” Connie said as she strapped the shield to her left arm. “ **Maybe he was saying this is an easy one, thanks for coming?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Maybe... There’s another chest back there, too.** ”   
As Connie led the way towards the back of the shrine, they heard a whirring noise. The doorways behind and ahead of them were suddenly barred, preventing their escape, as a panel rose up into the floor with a robot sitting on it.   
As they nervously stepped back, it activated, creating a small laser sword with one of its arms.   
“ **Uhh** **... Pearl?!** ” 

Pearl pulled a sword and stepped forwards. “ **Stay back, Connie...** ”   
Suddenly, the voice of the monk rang out. < ** _Use a side-hop to avoid enemy attacks. this will create an opening that you can use to strike back._** >   
Pearl hesitated. “ **Huh.** ”   
“ **What’s wrong?** ” Connie whispered, one hand still nervously clutching the hilt of her own sword as she stared at the robot, which still had not moved.   
Pearl sighed. “ **It seems to be some sort of training exercise. How to avoid attacks by hopping out of the way so you can get an opening for a counterattack.** ”   
Connie paused. “ **Can I do it?** ” she said as the robot jittered slightly, but didn’t try to attack.   
Pearl glanced down at the young teen. “ **You want to try?** ”   
Connie nodded enthusiastically as she grinned. “ **Yeah! It'd be great combat practice for me, right?** ”   
After a moment, Pearl laughed. “ **That’s my student. Have fun, don’t get injured. Make me proud.** ” she ruffled the girl’s hair fondly before she sheathed her own sword and stepped back towards the others. “ **I’ll let you know if he gives any more advice to complete the exercise.** ” she called back. 

Connie drew her sword and readied her new shield with a sigh. “ **Okay, I can do this.** ” she whispered.   
Moving forwards, she walked up to the robot cautiously, waiting for an attack.   
Suddenly, the robot lifted its sword-arm into the air, and Connie stepped to the side, avoiding the attack. She gave it a couple of whacks with her sword, and the robot seemed to pause, wisps of blue smoke rising up from its three arms.   
< ** _Do a backflip to avoid enemy attacks and create an opening to strike back._** >   
“ **Connie!** ” Pearl called. “ **You can backflip or jump back to avoid attacks and then strike.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Got it!** ” 

With one arm crackling, the robot moved again, and Connie moved back to get some space. It held its sword out sideways, and eyes wide, Connie jumped back, narrowly avoiding the sideways slash. Landing on her feet, she darted forwards, getting more hits on the machine with ease.   
“ **Yeah, Connie!** **Wooo** **!** ” Amethyst called, grinning.   
Steven had a faint blush. “ **You can do it, Strawberry!** ”   
The robot paused again, and Pearl nudge them both. “ **Shh, I need to hear the next bit...** ”   
< ** _You can repel an attack if you parry with your shield at just the right time. Strike back in the opening you create._** >   
“ **Connie, parry with your shield at the right moment, and you can knock them back long enough to get some hits in.** ” Pearl called.   
Connie nodded, raising her shield in preparation. “ **Yes ma’am!** ” 

The robot raised its sword again, and Connie braced herself behind her shield. As the sword came down, she lifted her shield to meet it at what seemed the best moment, and the sword bounced back, leaving the machine vulnerable. Connie raised her sword to get another strike, but the robot paused, and she held back.   
< ** _Build up your power, then release it to unleash a charge attack. Catch your enemies in this motion to damage them._** >   
Pearl’s eyes widened.   
“ **Well, what am I supposed to do?** ” Connie called back.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Something about building up your power for a charged attack. I don’t know how you’re supposed to manage that...** ”   
Connie moved around the machine, trying to keep the robot in her light of sight at all times. She caught Pearl’s eye. “ **I don’t know either...** ”   
The robot turned and lifted its sword to strike, and Connie jumped back, feeling the heat of the laser blade as it passed her.   
“ **Connie, maybe I should step in now...** ” Pearl called, taking a step forward.   
“ **No!** ” the girl called out as Pearl paused. “ **I** **’ve** **got this.** ” 

Nervously, Connie avoided the robot’s follow up attacks. With a growl, she jumped into the air as hard as she could and brought her sword down on its head, creating a shower of sparks. As she jumped away, the robot crackled and exploded with energy, leaving a few small bolts and a spring behind.   
< ** _You have done well to learn these crucial skills. Now, proceed._** >   
Connie panted and sighed. “ **Okay,** ** _that_** **was something...** ” she breathed, sheathing her sword. 

Pearl darted forwards and picked the girl up into a hug. “ **Oooh** **... I’m so proud of you!** ” she squealed.   
As she was put back onto her feet, Amethyst gave Connie a gentle knock on the shoulder. “ **Way to go, Con-con! You beast, you!** ”   
“ **Well done.** ” Garnet smiled, offering her hand for a fist bump.   
Connie eagerly gave it, grinning widely. “ **Thanks.** ”   
Behind them, Steven’s face was red. “ **That... was... amazing!** ” he yelled, drawing everyone’s attention. Steven darted forward and gave Connie a hug, picking her up and swinging her around. “ **You’re so incredible, Connie!** ” his voice cracked slightly with excitement.   
Connie blushed deeply as the Gems smirked. “ **Steven...** **you** **dork...** ” 

After picking up the laser sword and the little pieces of machinery that had been left lying on the floor, Pearl walked over and kicked the third chest open. Examine the small stone, her eyes widened. “ **Hey, Amethyst?** ”   
“ **Yeah** **,** **Pearly?** ”   
Pearl turned and showed them the small multicoloured stone. “ **Opal.** ” she smiled, holding up to catch the light.   
Amethyst’s eyes widened, and she ran over to get a closer look. “ **Oh, wow...** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **I liked this shrine.** ” she smiled. 

As Pearl stepped toward the altar, she glanced back at Connie. “ **You want the orb? You did the work, after all...** ”   
Connie shook her head. “ **Nah, you’re the one who’s supposed to collect them and save the world... I just did it for the experience.** ”   
Pearl nodded and smiled. “ **Okay.** **First chance I get, I'll get you a** **nice** **reward for doing such a good job.** ” she said as climbed the stairs and tapped the symbol on the front of the altar. 

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Outside, they looked around the small village with a sigh.   
“ **That was actually pretty fun...** ” Connie grinned. “ **Who do I fight next?** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Easy there, young warrior.** ” Glancing at Garnet, she rolled her eyes. “ **And yes, I’m fully aware of the irony of** ** _me_** **trying to temper someone else’s bloodlust...** ”   
Garnet chuckled. “ **I didn’t say a thing... Terrifying Renegade...** ”   
Pearl gave her a quick slap on the arm. “ **Quiet you...** ” she huffed as she pulled out the slate. “ **Hmm... Well, it’s still pretty late. But if we walk back down as slowly as possible; we could kill some time until everyone wakes up. Then, I can speak to Impa.** ”   
Amethyst looked over the village. “ **Where is she though?** ”   
Pearl shrugged, examining the map. “ **Umm... The little waypoint marker seems to be... over that large building there.** ” she pointed at the largest building, the long flight of steps giving it an almost regal bearing. “ **So** **I'll assume that’s her place. She must be important here.** ” she shrugged again, putting the slate away. 


	8. Remembered

After reaching the area at the base of the stairs, Pearl looked towards the small statue in the pond nearby and placed a hand on her chest. “ **Hmm... I have four now... I’ll be right back.** **Gotta** **see a goddess about some orbs...** ”   
They watched as she stood silently before the statue, and were startled as the orbs came out of her chest, forming into a strange green container before being absorbed back into her body.   
“ **Pearl, what was** ** _that_** **?!** ” Amethyst asked as she returned.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Not sure. I asked for a bit more stamina for climbing, and... The orbs turned into that thing. I do feel like I can handle longer climbs now, so that’s good.** ” she glanced back at the statue. “ **If I ask for more** **streng** **th, I get a red container shaped like a heart. Don’t ask me how it works, I'm just glad that it does.** ”   
“ **As long as you get strong enough to handle whatever Hyrule throws at you, that’s all that matters.** ” Garnet said, crossing her arms.   
Pearl grinned. “ **Works for me.** ”   
  
By the time that the sun rose up, the group had loitered at the bottom of the stairs long enough to get bored.   
As one of the guards glanced at them, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, give me a moment.** ” she walked over to him. < ** _Excuse me... I was told that I needed to speak with_** ** _Impa_** ** _of_** ** _Kakariko_** ** _Village on an urgent matter. Is this where I can find her?_** >   
The man nodded warily. < ** _Yes, but Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _won’t be awake for at least another hour._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I understand, I’ll return in two._** > she turned and walked back.   
“ **Well?** ” Amethyst nudged her.   
Pearl nodded, checking the time on her slate. “ ** _Lady_** **Impa** **won’t be awake for a little bit, so we’ll go see her soon.** ”   
Amethyst raised an eyebrow. “ **Lady? Sounds** ** _fancy_** **...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It could just be a term of respect. Either way, when we do get in there, be quiet, respectful and try not to interrupt, okay?** ” she glanced around at them. “ **But,** **I'll try to translate as much as possible for you as I go...** ” 

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As they nervously entered the darkened room, they saw a small woman in a wide hat kneeling at the end.   
Pearl stepped forwards. < ** _Um, excuse me? Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _?_** >   
The woman lifted her head, revealing a face full of winkles surrounding youthful eyes full of mischief. < ** _Yes, child?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Uh, I was told that I had to speak with you..._** >   
The woman’s eyes dropped to examine Pearl. They settled on the slate at her hip, and they widened with shock. < ** _That slate? Where did you get that!?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _It’s... a long story... May we sit?_** >   
After a moment, Impa nodded, waving a hand at the floor before her. 

As they got settled, Pearl sighed. < ** _Okay, the short version of the story is this. My friends here and myself were pulled away from their world and brought her by the Goddess_** ** _Farore_** ** _. She’s worried that your hero... uh... sorry, I’m actually quite terrible with name’s, starts with an ‘L’..._** >   
< ** _Link?_** > Impa provided.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes, him. The goddesses are worried that he won’t wake up in time. And with the princess getting weaker, they were apparently worried enough to bring me here. Supposedly, I’m the only one they know of who can save Hyrule, apart from Link._** > Pearl shook her head. < ** _Personally, I think that they’re crazy, but have you ever tried arguing with a goddess?_** >   
Impa looked at her curiously, her eyes flicking toward Pearl’s short orange hair before briefly settling on the gem set in her forehead. < ** _Hmm... I can’t say that I have. What did you say your name was again?_** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Oh, well... I didn’t. It's Pearl._** >

Impa stared at her, eyes wide.   
The group glanced at Pearl.   
“ **Uhh** **... What’s going on?** ” Steven whispered.   
“ **I... don’t know... I just told her my name and... oh no...** ” Pearl groaned. “ **She must know who I am...** ”   
Connie glanced at the clearly shocked old woman. “ **Is** **...** **this going to be a problem?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Maybe. I don’t know what she’s heard about me... She might think that I killed that guy and took his stuff. She could call the guards and have me dragged out of here...** ” 

< ** _Pearl?_** >   
The group looked at Impa.   
< ** _Uhh_** ** _... Yes?_** > Pearl nervously stammered.   
Impa squinted at her. < ** _Pearl, of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _? Daughter of-_** >   
With a sigh, Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes. It's a long story, but yes. I'm... I was... his daughter..._** >   
Impa stared at her for a moment. < ** _And you expect me to believe that the goddesses sent_** **you** ** _to save us?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _No, not really. But regardless of whether or not you believe it, it doesn’t change the fact that they did._** > Pulling off her right glove, she showed the back of her hand where the faintly glowing triangle still sat. < ** _This jumped off of Link’s hand and onto mine. I met the ghost of the last king of Hyrule, and he told me the basics about Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _, and_** ** _then_** ** _he told me to come to_** ** _Kakariko_** ** _and talk to you. He said that you’d tell me more about what I'_** ** _m supposed to do._** > she sighed as she pulled the glove back on. < ** _It doesn’t matter if either of us likes it or not... They sent me here to fight whatever’s left of my father because Hero boy overslept and missed the call of Destiny._** >

As Pearl crossed her arms defensively, Amethyst put a hand on her shoulder, glaring briefly at Impa as she did.   
Impa looked at her, her eyes moving between Pearl’s right hand and the slate on her hip. Finally, she looked at each member of the group, whose expressions ranged from worried to annoyed. < ** _I assume_** ** _from_** ** _their_** ** _strange speech_** ** _that your companions cannot understand me?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _No. They're not of Hyrule. They're from another... realm. One in which I was immortal, and lived long enough to realise that my father had become evil. I... renounced him. A long time ago._** >   
Impa watched her curiously. < ** _Very well. I will tell you what I know._** >   
Pearl nodded with a sigh. < ** _Thank you. I'll need a moment here and there to translate for my friends..._** >   
< ** _That is okay._** > Impa nodded. 

Turning, she pointed at a tapestry displayed on the wall. < ** _The history_** ** _o_** ** _f the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _, a primal evil that has endured over the ages. This evil has been turned back time and time again by a warrior wielding the soul of a hero, and a princess who carries the blood of the Goddess. With the passage of time, each conflict with_** ** _Ganon_** ** _faded into legend._** ** _So_** ** _listen closely as I tell you of this ‘legend’ that occurred ten thousand years ago..._** >   
She pointed at the next part of the long tapestry. < ** _Hyrule was then blossoming as a highly advanced civilisation. Even the most powerful monsters posed little threat to the denizens of the realm. The people thought it wise to utilize their technological prowess to ensure the safety of the land, should Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _ever return. They constructed four mechanical wonder_** ** _s_** ** _that came to be known as the Divine Beasts. They also built a legion of autonomous weapons called Guardians. The Divine Beasts were piloted by four individuals of exceptional skill from across the land. And thus, the plan to neutralize Ganon was forged. Upon_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _inevitable return to Hyrule, the princess and the hero fought alongside these four champions against this ancient evil. The Guardians were tasked with protecting the hero as the Divine Beasts unleashed a furious attack upon their terrible foe. And when the hero wielding the sword that seals the darkness delivered his final blow... The princess used her sacred power to seal away Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >

Pearl held up a hand. < ** _One moment please..._** >   
Turning to the others, she sighed. “ **Okay, the tapestry basically says what we already know. Ten thousand years ago, Hyrule became really technically advanced. The people decide to prepare for when my-** " she sighed deeply. “ **For when** **Ganon** **returned. They built advanced machinery, like that robot that Connie fought, and others, like the big laser murder bots, and the Divine Beasts.** ” she huffed. “ **Turned out to be a bad idea, but whatever... Anyway, they were piloted by four champions. At the time, when** **Ganon** **returned, they were able to help the hero and princess of that time defeat him, sealing him away.** ” she nodded. “ **Okay, it’s mostly what the king already told me, but she doesn't know that.** ” Nodding at Impa, she sighed. < ** _Okay, please continue._** >

Impa nodded. < ** _One hundred years ago... in preparation for the foretold revival of_** ** _Ganon_** ** _, we strove to follow the lead of our ancestors of ten thousand years prior. But... in the end..._** > she sighed heavily, the weight of her many years suddenly seeming to be pressing down on her shoulders. < ** _Despite our best efforts and careful planning, we underestimated his power. In order to avoid ever making that grave mistake again, the princess left the hero these words... Free the Divine Beasts. That is what she said._** >   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, a century ago, they tried the same trick again when** **Ganon** **returned, but it blew up in their faces. Princes** **s** **Zelda, before she went to the castle to try and seal him, left a message for Link... the guy in the cave. She wants him to free the Divine Beasts. He can’t do it though, so I guess I'll have to for him.** ”   
With a sigh, she looked at Impa. < ** _Tell me more about these Beasts. If I'm to attempt to free them from whatever influence they’re under, I'll need to know as much as possible._** >

Impa looked at her with renewed curiosity. < ** _The four Divine Beasts are the ancient_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _weapons wielded by the four Champions who_** ** _Ganon_** ** _defeated. The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Rudania_** ** _, controlled by_** ** _Daruk_** ** _of the_** ** _Gorons_** ** _._** >   
“ **One Beast was controlled by a** **Goron** **. I’m guessing it was name after the Darunia, king of the** **Gorons** **from my time. He was one of the Sages, so...** ”   
< ** _The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, controlled by_** ** _Revali_** ** _of the Rito._** >   
Pearl looked slightly confused. “ **Rito?** ” she glanced at the others. “ **I have no idea. New race, maybe?** ”   
< ** _The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _, controlled by_** ** _Mipha_** ** _of the Zora._** >   
“ **That’s definitely named after** **Ruto** **, the Zora princess and Sage of water...** > Pearl sighed.   
< **The Divine Beast Vah** **Naboris** **, controlled by** **Urbosa** **of the** **Gerudo** **.** > Impa looked directly into Pearl’s eyes. 

Pearl blinked. “ **One’s named after the** **Gerudo** **Sage,** **Nabooru** **...** ” she turned to the others. “ **That’s surprising. I would have thought the rest of Hyrule would have refused to trust the** **Gerudo** **people again...** ” she shook her head. “ **So, to free these Beasts, I’m going to have to travel to the lands of the Zora,** **Gorons** **and** **Gerudo** **, as well as this new race, the Rito...** ” she sighed deeply and ran a hand down over her face. “ **Great... just great... What if they remember me too? That could be problematic, to say the least...** ” she glanced at Impa. < ** _Is it really... necessary, to free these machines? Can he be defeated without them?_** >   
Impa shook her head. < ** _It would be extremely ill-advised to face_** ** _Ganon_** ** _without the power of the Divine Beasts to help you... You must_** ** _infi_** ** _l_** ** _trate_** ** _the Divine Beasts that were stolen away by_** ** _Ganon_** ** _one hundred years ago and bring them back to our side._** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **I was afraid of that...** ” she muttered.   
< ** _More information about the Divine Beasts can be found by locating the four races scattered across Hyrule. The_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate will guide you on your way. You must go where it tells you and meet with each leader there._** >

Pearl heard a small beep and pulled out the slate and examined it, noticing four new blinking yellow dots on the map. < ** _Hmm... Hey, could you tell me wh_** ** _y_** ** _it says that there’s data and functions missing here... and here...?_** >   
Impa took the slate briefly, examining it. < ** _Hmm... It seems to me that your_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate is not yet complete. This is the same device that Princess Zelda used, which seemed to be missing some functions at the time as well... Now, let’s see..._** > she paused briefly to hand it back. < ** _Someone at the research lab in_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Village might be able to help you..._** >   
< ** _Hateno_** ** _Village?_** > Pearl asked as another yellow dot appeared on the map, the surrounding area blank.   
< ** _The location shining on the eastern edge is_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Village. It is a small village... One of the very few places that avoided suffering significant damage during the Great Calamity._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. So, get the slate fixed in_** ** _Hateno_** ** _, talk to the leaders of each race, bust into the Divine Beasts somehow and free them of whatever influence_** ** _Ganon_** ** _has over them. Got it._** >   
Impa nodded slowly. < ** _You are Princess Zelda’s only hope... and Hyrule’s, as well... You cannot turn back now._** >   
< ** _You mean I had a choice?_** > Pearl muttered. < ** _That’s news to me..._** >   
Impa smiled. < ** _Perhaps not. The Goddesses sometimes make choices that we question..._** > she looked Pearl in the eyes. < ** _But they don’t often get it wrong. Follow your heart, and seize your destiny!_** > she chuckled. < ** _Daughter of_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _... Chosen Heroine of the Goddesses. Never thought I'd live to see this..._** >   
< ** _You and me both, lady..._** > Pearl sighed as she stood. < ** _Thank you._** >

As the group stepped outside, they were surprised to see the sun setting through a gap in the mountains.   
“ **Whaa** **?! We were in there all day?!** ” Amethyst groaned. “ **No wonder I feel creaky...** ” she muttered, rubbing her back a little. “ **Ya** **woulda** **thought I’d have been comfier, with all my padding.** ” she slapped her butt cheekily.   
Pearl blushed and nodded. “ **We still have some time... I’m going to see if there’s anywhere here where I can buy supplies. I need to reach another village,** **Hateno** **.** ”   
“ **We’re coming too.** ” Amethyst immediately said.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Fine, I’m not** **even** **going to** ** _attempt_** **to argue this time. But at the first sign of danger, we run. Understand?** ”   
“ **Yes Pearl.** ” The kids called, smiling. Garnet gave a thumbs up as Amethyst grinned. 

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Pearl checked the bag as she left the store. “ **Okay, food, check.** ” Touching the quiver, she quietly counted her supply. “ **I’ve got a decent supply of arrows, that’s good.** ” she glanced at the starry sky. “ **Okay, at first light we leave for** **Hateno** **.** ”   
“ **Let’s wait near the entrance to the village, just to save time later.** ” Connie pointed.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Good thinking. Or, I can just warp us back to the stable, cut some time off our journey.** ”   
Connie blushed. “ **... Or we can do that.** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Don’t worry. I sometimes forget for a moment that I can do that too...** ” she blushed faintly as she pulled out the slate. 

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Impa heard the bell ring. < **Enter.** >   
The two men and the woman came in, kneeling before her. < ** _Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _, you summoned us?_** >   
Impa nodded. < ** _Yes._** > She reached out and picked up three scrolls of paper. < ** _I need you to take these to certain individuals. It is crucial to the safety of Hyrule._** >   
< ** _Yes, Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _._** >   
She held out one scroll to the man on the left. < ** _This is to be given to my sister in_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Village. Travel quickly, it must get there before our recent guests do._** >   
The man stood, bowing as he pocketed the scroll. < ** _Of course, Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _. I shall leave at once._** > he turned and ran out, the door closing with a click behind him.   
Impa held out the second scroll. < ** _This is to be handed to the King of the_** ** _Zoras_** ** _,_** ** _Doraphan_** ** _._** >   
He slipped the scroll into his robe and stood, bowing deeply. < ** _At once, my Lady._** >   
Impa held out the third scroll to the young woman. < ** _Take this to_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town. It is for the eyes of their chief only, understand?_** >   
< ** _Yes, Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _._** > The woman bowed, accepting the scroll.   
< ** _Make haste._** > Impa nodded, and the two left. 

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With the sun visibly moving above the horizon, Pearl nodded. “ **Let’s go, whilst the** **Stals** **are asleep... Or whatever those creepy little buggers do during the day...** ” she muttered. 

Once again, they headed north until they reach the fork in the road. “ **Okay, yeah, we go this way this time.** ” Pearl nodded, reading the sign.   
Walking along, they took cautious note of the rusting Guardians sitting in the nearby marshland. Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, you guys stay on the path and keep heading that way** **.** ” she pointed. “ **I’m just going to quickly check these for any little bits and pieces.** ”   
“ **Why?** ” Amethyst asked. “ **They're pretty much garbage. Hell, even** ** _I_** **don’t want them...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **They might be important at some point. I’d rather collect them now, along the way, than have to take the time to come back and get them later.** ” she said as she walked off the path. 

The group continued watching Pearl as they followed the path as it looped below the mountain range. She moved quickly from machine to machine, pocketing trinket after trinket.   
About halfway across the marsh, they saw one suddenly glow red and shift, it’s head rotating.   
“ ** _Pearl!_** ” 

Pearl heard a shout and half-turned. She saw the red beam taking aim at her chest and looked up at the machine. Her eyes darting about, she realised with horror that there was no cover close enough to reach in time. Quickly, she yanked her shield around, and as the beam fired, she braced against the shield. As time seemed to slow down, the beam reflected back towards the machine, and it exploded with a crackle of electricity. 

Pearl opened her eyes cautiously. Looking over the shield, she saw the scattered parts of the defunct robot, and on the distant path beyond, the clearly relieved group. Pausing only to collect the scattered parts, she re-joined them on the path, quickly being enveloped in hugs.   
“ **Well, looks like Connie wasn’t the only one who learned something in that training exercise shrine in** **Kakariko** **...** ” Pearl sighed. “ **Let’s move on...** ” 

Despite the close encounter, Pearl couldn’t resist pausing to grab more little parts as they travelled along the path. Ahead, they saw a tall, but badly damaged wall across a gap in the mountains.   
Pearl checked her map. “ **Says this is Fort** **Hateno** **...** ” she looked around. “ **Not much of a fort, to be honest. More of a defensive wall...** ”   
“ **Yeah, I wonder why they called it that...** ”   
Garnet pointed at the man visible through the large hole in the wall. “ **We could ask him. Well, Pearl could anyway... He looks like a local.** ”   
“ **Well, yes, I suppose.** ” 

< ** _Uh, excuse me..._** > Pearl called as they stepped into the shade of the trees.   
The man turned, startled. < ** _Wha_** ** _?! Oh. Yes, young lady?_** >   
Pearl sighed, but let it go. < ** _My companions and I were just wondering... Why is this called Fort_** ** _Hateno_** ** _? It’s more of a defensive wall than a fort, isn’t it?_** >   
The man nodded. < ** _Yes. But this is where the Hero made his last stand against the forces of the Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _one hundred long years ago. It's where the tide of evil was stopped. Because of his sacrifice,_** ** _Hateno_** ** _wasn’t destroyed by the Guardians, and remains safe today._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Oh, I see. That actually makes sense. Thank you._** >

As the man walked away, Pearl explained what the man had told her. “ **So, I guess this is where** **Hero** **boy got so badly injured that he had to be put into a century-long coma to recover...** ”   
“ **Must have been some battle...** ” Amethyst whistled faintly, looking out at the dozens of broken machines.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Maybe that’s the one we were shown by** **Farore** **when we first arrived...** ” she checked the time on her slate. “ **Come on. I want to get as close to** **Hateno** **as possible before sunset... With any luck, we can reach it in time. Or at least be close enough to run for it.** ” 

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As the sun sunk below the horizon, Pearl spotted smoke up ahead, and the distant peak of a roof. “ **Okay guys, we’d better run if we’re going to make it...** ” she said, jogging ahead.   
The Stalkoblin burst out and started moving towards them as they ran underneath the archway making the entrance of the town.   
They paused, turning to see what it would do.   
The Stalkoblin looked at them and at the nearby buildings. Gibbering angrily, it pulled off one arm and shook it at them, reattaching it before it turned and shambled back, burying itself again.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Nope, still hate those things...** ” 

As they walked further into the town, Pearl nodded. “ **Good, there’s a shrine here. I’m just going to clear it, okay?** ” she said, already moving towards the ancient structure.   
“ **Okay, we’ll wait here...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. See ya next weekend.  
> Hopefully I'll actually remember it...


	9. Cursed

“ **Okay guys.** ” Pearl said, double-checking her various straps. “ **I’ll be over there, activating that tower.** ” she pointed at the distant orange light just visible through the early morning gloom. “ **You have a look around here. Try to locate any stores where we can find supplies, or anything else of interest.** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Okay Pearl.** ”   
“ **Have fun.** ” Garnet smiled.   
Pearl nodded and after using the slate to set a beacon for the tower, she left the small village. 

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“ **Are those arrows... with tiny bombs?** ” Connie stared at the small tray.   
Garnet raised an eyebrow. “ **Looks like it. Pearl’s** **gonna** **love those.** ”   
Steven looked up. “ **She is?** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Back during the war, Pearl was our demolitions expert. Mainly because she could keep the stuff in her gem, slip into a place, set the explosives and get out without being noticed. She called it a pearl-thing. Most Gems don’t really notice or care where a pearl goes,** **cause** **they assume that she’s supposed to be there. No-one wants to get in trouble for preventing a pearl from carrying out** **the orders of** **someone** **who might be more important** **than themselves,** **so there’s a bit of a blind spot for them. Pearl used that to her advantage. She also had a habit of throwing grenades around when she got in a bad mood...** ” she smirked. “ **Part of the reason we called her the** ** _terrifying_** **renegade.** ” she glanced back at the arrows. “ **Yeah, she’s** **gonna** **want** ** _all_** **of these.** ” 

“ **Maybe we can buy her some?** ” Steven asked.   
Garnet reached into a pocket and pulled out the two small green shards. “ **I still got these from buying the frog. Something tells me that’s not** **gonna** **be anywhere near enough though.** ”   
Amethyst looked around the shop. “ **Well, maybe we can find something nearby to sell, make some quick cash?** ”   
Connie looked thoughtful. “ **Well, she didn’t** ** _exactly_** **tell us to stay in the village... Just to find anything interesting. Which we have.** ” she smirked. “ **We** ** _could_** **leave and find some stuff.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **I like this kid, she’s spunky.** ” 

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Pearl sighed as she rested on a ledge. “ **Almost there...** ” she glanced up. Pulling her gloves on more firmly, she started on the next stretch, aiming for the platform above and to her right. Beyond that, she could see the small opening that would put her on the top of the tower. 

As she hauled herself over the edge, she laid back for a moment, panting. Once she had caught her breath, she rolled over and stood with a groan. “ **Ugh, I just might be getting a bit too old for this ‘** ** _save the world_ ** **’ crap...** ” she muttered as she placed the slate on the pedestal. 

After giving the map a quick look, she set about searching for new shrines. As she moved to another part of the tower, she looked down with the scope and gasped. “ ** _What are they doing?!_** " she looked down at the group, searching in the long grass outside of the village. 

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“ **Whoa, it’s so cute!** ” Steven gushed, eyes sparkling at the small pink creature they had disturbed from the grass.   
Connie nodded enthusiastically. “ **I know! It looks like...** ”   
“ **What are you doing out here?!** ”   
They turned to see Pearl dashing towards then, eyes darting around for danger.   
“ **Looking for stuff to sell.** ” Garnet said simply. “ **Reckon this’ll be worth something?** ” she pointed at the creature, and Pearl’s eyes widened.   
“ **Holy...** ” she darted forwards and caught the creature in her hands, shoving it into her bag. “ **You found a** ** _Fairy_** **?!** ” she grinned. “ **Find another one.** ” she ordered as she started rummaging through the grass. 

Connie’s eyes widened, and she glanced at the equally star-struck Steven. “ **I was right? It is a fairy?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes. And you don’t sell them. They're worth more than you can imagine.** ”   
“ **How?** ” Amethyst asked, starting to search again. “ **If you don’t sell them?** ”   
Pearl glanced back. “ **Well, they have healing powers. If you happen to die, they can actually revive you.** ” 

The group paused, staring at her. “ **Seriously?!** ”   
“ **So, it’s a tiny flying Steven?** ” Amethyst smirked.   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Honestly? The first time that I saw Rose heal, my first thought was ‘** ** _She’s a giant pink fairy...’_** ”   
Steven giggled as Garnet snorted.   
Pearl smiled as she pushed the grass around. “ **Anyway, if I get into serious trouble, and there’s no chance of getting back to Steven... these little miracle workers will save me.** **So** **we have to find as many as possible.** ” 

With the sun sinking below the horizon, they straightened up, rubbing their now aching backs.   
“ **Man, these things are hard to find...** ” Amethyst groaned.   
Pearl nodded with a sigh. “ **Y** **es, they were pretty rare in my time too. Most people didn’t get to even see one, never mind make use of its powers...** ” she patted the bag. “ **But the one you did find will definitely come in handy at some point.** ” she glanced up at the darkening sky. “ **Come on, we’d better get back to the village now, before the** **Stalkoblins** **come out...** ” 

“ **And that’s the store.** ” Steven pointed as the small village settled down for the night, the two children playing nearby running towards their homes.   
Glancing towards the east, they paused as a fiery red glow rose above the horizon. Glancing at each other, they gasped as the moon rose, tinted blood red with an aura of evil tendrils flickering like flames surrounding it.   
Steven pressed closer. “ **Pearl?** ”   
“ **Is that...** ” Connie started.   
“ **Blood moon...** ” Pearl whispered. 

They stood, transfixed, as it slowly rose up, and as time ticked by, Pearl took out her slate, glancing at the small clock on the screen. “ **Almost midnight... That’s when it’s supposed to happen... When the monsters come back to life...** ”   
She glanced up from the screen, eyes homing in on the terrifying sight above them. 

Suddenly, the moon seemed to pulse, flashing brighter. All of a sudden, the dark red aura burst, rippling outwards.   
As they watched, a Stalkoblin burst out of the ground just outside the village. Its glowing eyes seemed to lock onto Pearl, and it jumped and gibbered angrily, picking up a small stone and throwing it towards them. Pearl quickly pulled her shield around, deflecting the blow as the group retreated further into the village.   
“ **I guess that was the blood moon...** ” Pearl sighed.   
Steven was nearly shaking. “ **That was horrible!** ”   
Amethyst ran her fingers through her long fringe. “ **Pearl, your world is beautiful but** ** _freaking_** **_terrifying_** **!** ”   
Pearl nodded, giving Steven a hug. “ **Yeah, I know... Apparently, everyone here got used to this. I guess we’ll just have to as well.** ” she glanced at them. “ **So.** **.. You didn’t answer my question earlier... Why were you out there?** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Trying to find stuff to sell.** ” she pointed at the store. “ **There’s something there we’re pretty sure that you’re** **gonna** **want...** ”   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. “ **Looks like it’s still open. Show me.** ” 

Inside the store, they pointed at the Bomb Arrows, and Pearl’s eyes lit up. “ **Ooh! Bomb Arrows!** ” she grinned.   
“ **Thought you’d like that.** ” Garnet chuckled.   
Pearl patted her arm. “ **You know me so** ** _well_** **.** ”   
She glanced around at them. “ **Well, what did you find? Apart from the Fairy...** ” she pointed at the shopkeeper. “ **Because you can probably sell it to him.** ”   
Steven pulled his bag off. “ **We found a whole** ** _lot_** **of crickets, a bunch of lizards, and some mushrooms.** ” he grinned.   
“ **Well, I hope that they’re each in separate pockets, or it’ll be a bloodbath in there...** ” Pearl mused.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah, that’s why we used Steven’s bag. More pockets.** ” 

As the shopkeeper hefted the large jars full of crickets and lizards onto a shelf behind the counter and turned to collect the box of mushrooms, Steven smiled at Pearl. “ **So, how much do we have now? Enough for your** **boomboom** **arrows?** ”   
Pearl chuckled as she stepped forwards. “ **Let me see...** ” she scooped up the pile of rupees and took it to a small table near the door. Separating them out into smaller piles, she started counting under her breath. “ **Huh. Wow, you’ve done pretty well for less than an** **hours** **work...** ” she smiled. “ **You’ve made... two hundred and... forty-eight rupees.** ”   
Garnet dropped her two green shards onto the table. “ **Fifty.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **That enough?** ”   
Pearl reached into her bag. “ **Combined with the rupees I’ve already got...** ” she glanced back at the table. “ **They're fifty rupees each... Well, I can get five of them anyway.** **But,** **we won’t have enough for anything else.** ” she looked at the table of ingredients.   
Connie shrugged. “ **We can go hunting for more lizards and crickets tomorrow. Get the arrows. We know you want to.** ” she smirked.   
Pearl shook her head with a smile. “ **I love you all. But let’s wait until we find a more stable, less time-consuming method of making rupees, okay? I can go without them for now. Besides, I do have the Bomb rune on my slate, which I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.** ” she added with a grin. “ **So many explosions, so little time... And those are free to use. So these arrows really can wait.** ” she started putting the rupees into her bag. “ **Let’s find this Lab that I'm supposed to visit.** ” 

As the group through the village, they found the path leading up the hillside. Following it, they spotted a strange building on top of the hill. Pearl pulled out the slate and used the scope. “ **Hmm... There’s a big telescope on the roof... Looks more like an observatory. But it might be the Lab.** ” she placed a beacon and put the slate away. “ **It’s the most scientific place that I can see...** ” 

Passing a farm, they heard a man grumble under his breath.   
“ **Pearl?** ” Steven asked.   
She paused. “ **Nothing to do with us. Something about... deer?** ” she shrugged. “ **I’ll ask.** ” < ** _Excuse me?_** >   
< ** _Yes?_** > The man turned.   
Pearl smiled. < ** _I was just curious... You said something about deer?_** >   
He sighed. < ** _The forest near here is over populated by Mountain Bucks. It's completely out of control!_** > he sighed. He looked at Pearl. < ** _Hmm, that’s a pretty sturdy looking bow_** ** _ya_** ** _got there... Can I ask you to go and hunt some of the deer for me? I’ll pay you, and you can keep any meat..._** >   
Pearl looked thoughtful. < ** _Hmm... Okay, I suppose we could use the meat... And the rupees. One moment, please._** >

Pearl turned to them. “ **The nearby forest is overpopulated with buck deer. He’s desperate enough to ask me if I’ll go bag a couple. He says he’ll pay me, and we can keep the meat.** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Sounds fair.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, I’ll be right back.** ” 

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A short while later, Pearl returned. She paused to talk to the man, receiving a small shard in return.   
“ **Okay, I bagged a few. He didn’t pay all that well...** ” she muttered. “ **But I have a fair amount of meat.** ” she patted the bag. “ **We should probably find a place to cook all this before it starts to spoil... Plus, it’s nearly dinnertime back on Earth.** ”   
Steven shrugged. “ **I could eat.** ”   
Connie pointed back towards the village. “ **I saw a cooking pot behind the shrine back there...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Lead the way.** ” 

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As Pearl placed the meat skewers in the bowls, they eagerly grabbed one.   
“ **Mmmm** **... They smell so good!** ” Steven gasped.   
Amethyst popped a piece of venison into her mouth. “ **Stars, that’s beautiful...** ” she murmured around the mouthful.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Glad you like it.** ” she stood. “ **Be right back, just checking the river for any fish...** ” 

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Pearl popped the last bit of fish in her mouth and licked her fingers. “ **Mmm** **... That was nice...** ” Glancing around, she sighed. “ **Here comes trouble...** ”   
They watched as three men came across the bridge. With a nod at the assembled group, two of them picked up sledgehammers and hefted them onto their shoulders. As one gave a shout, they swung them at the house.   
“ **Wait, what are they doing?!** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl stood up. “ **I’ll find out.** ” < ** _Excuse me?!_** >   
One of the men paused. < ** _Yes, ma’am?_** >   
< ** _What are you doing?_** > Pearl nodded at the sledgehammer.   
He nodded. < ** _Demolishing this old house._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Why? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with it..._** >   
< ** _You’ll have to ask the boss about that._** > he pointed at the thin man without a sledgehammer, who was looking at them curiously. 

< ** _Hi!_** > he said in a singsongy voice. < ** _Need something from me?_** >   
< ** _Good morning. Uh... sir..._** >   
< ** _Me? I’m the luminary, president, architect, and design lead of_** ** _Bolson_** ** _Construction. My name is_** ** _Bolson_** ** _._** > he trilled.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I was told to ask you why this house was being demolished.._** **.** >   
He looked around. < ** _In case it’s not obvious, this house is vacant. Times are rough. Not a lot of buyers, y’know? So the villagers decided it was best to just tear it down._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That’s fair..._** >

Steven walked up beside her. “ **Pearl?** ”   
“ **The house has been unoccupied for so long, no-one wants to buy it, so they’re tearing it down.** ” she told him.   
His eyes sparkled. “ **Pearl, what if** ** _we_** **buy it?** ”   
“ **Steven...** ” she sighed as she pushed him back towards the cooking pot. “ **Steven, sweetie... we don’t live here, remember?** ”   
He nodded enthusiastically. “ **Yeah, but we need a place to sleep, right? You said we’ll probably end up sleeping for a week. Well, wouldn’t it be best to do that here, where we can be safe? And warm and dry?** ”   
Garnet crossed her arms. “ **He does have a point, Pearl.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **It would give us a safe place to stay when you have to go solo...** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **And we’re going to do this... with what money? What we have, we need for food, and I need for arrows, or** **armor** **...** ”   
“ **Well, maybe we can get them to hold off on smashing the joint up.** ” Amethyst mused. “ **At least, long enough to get the cash.** ”   
Pearl looked around at them. “ **You’re all in agreement on this?** ”   
As they nodded, she sighed deeply. “ **Fine... I’ll talk to him, see how much it costs...** ” she stood. “ **But if it’s too much, we find some other arrangement, or get used to sleeping in shrines, or at the top of the towers.** ” 

< ** _Hi again!_** > Bolson called.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Hi. My friends want to know about maybe buying the place._** >   
< ** _Whoa, get a load of young money bags... Just wants to ‘buy’ it, huh? Okay-doo..._** > he sighed as Pearl frowned. < ** _Let me just lay it out for you. See this house? Been vacant for years._** ** _So_** ** _the villages had a meeting, argued, voted, and decided to tear it down. The demolition costs, with associated fees, and other such details... come in at fifty thousand rupees._** >   
Pearl grimaced.   
< ** _So_** ** _when you say you want to ‘buy’ it, you’re talking about fifty thousand rupees... You got that much on you?_** > Bolson raised an eyebrow sceptically.   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Not even a fraction of it..._** >

< ** _Heh... Figured. When I was your age, I had serious money problems, too, so I know how it feels all too well..._** > Bolson shook his head. After a moment, he glanced over at the waiting group and sighed. < ** _… … Alright. All right, look. Here's the deal! Just for you! I'll cut you a special price of three thousand rupees._** >   
Pearl looked at him, surprised.   
< ** _BUT IN RETURN! I'm going to need you to bring me thirty bundles of wood. Building materials... You know how it is._** >   
Pearl looked around at the group. < ** _That’s... a pretty good deal..._** >   
< ** _I know. Anyway, you understand the terms? Then get to it. And show me what you’re built out of... That’s a construction joke._** > he winked. < ** _Hudson! Karson! Stop what you’re doing!_** >

As the three men turned and walked away, the group got up and walked to Pearl.   
“ **Pearl? Did he agree? I didn’t see any money moving around...** ” Amethyst glanced back as the three men settled besides the cooking pot.   
Pearl shook her head, still slightly confused. “ **Uhh** **...** **Sorta** **. He said the house would be fifty thousand...** ”   
“ **Whoa...** ” Garnet breathed.   
“ **Yikes.** ” Amethyst whistled.   
Pearl nodded. “ **But then, he decided to make a deal with me. I bring him thirty bundles of wood, and he’ll let us buy the house for just three thousand.** ”   
Connie gasped. “ **Wow, that’s awesome!** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Of course, I’ll have to actually find three thousand rupees first, not to mention cutting down some trees...** ” she sighed. “ **But for now, he seems to have agreed not to knock it down until I’ve provided the stuff.** ” she glanced back at the men. “ **But,** **I can deal with that later. For now, we should get moving to the Lab. We've gotten distracted enough.** ” 

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As they reached the top of the hill, they noticed dark storm clouds rapidly moving across the sky. “ **Okay, the slate has a weather feature.** ” Pearl said. “ **We’re in for a thunderstorm. Everyone inside.** ” 

As their eyes adjusted to the gloom inside, the kids eyes lit up.   
“ **Books!** ” Steven grinned at Connie.   
“ **I want to read them all!** ” she whispered.   
Pearl reached out and placed a hand on their shoulders. “ **They be written in** **Hylian** **, or some other** **Hyrulean** **language. You won’t be able to understand it...** ”   
Their faces fell. “ **Aww... That’s not fair...** ” Steven huffed.   
“ **Yeah...** ” Connie sighed. “ **Maybe you can give us a key. Like what each** **Hylian** **letter means?** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **It would still be in** **Hyrulean** **. What everyone speaks. I would have to teach you to both read** ** _and_** **speak the language.** **Which will be part-time lessons, as I still have a world to save.** **We likely won’t be here long enough... Sorry.** ”   
The girl sighed. “ **Darn...** ” 

Standing on a chair nearby, a small girl looked at them. < ** _Good morning. This is the_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Ancient Tech Lab. Do you have business with the director?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Possibly._** ** _Impa_** ** _only told me to see someone here about getting this thing fixed._** > she pulled out the slate and held it up.   
The girl’s eyes widened. < ** _Ganon’s_** ** _daughter..._** > she jumped down and hid behind the man at the back of the room. < ** _She’s_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _daughter!_** >

Pearl put the slate back and sighed. < ** _My father,_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _, died a long time ago. The swirling vortex of evil at the castle is just... the demonic spirit that possessed a man who simply wanted the best for his people._** >   
As lightning flashed, Pearl turned and walked out into the storm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez, they just didn’t want to get there... 
> 
> Don’t you hate when you’re writing, and your characters keep getting distracted by shiny explosives? 


	10. Selfie

“ **Pearl?!** ” Amethyst called out, looking out into the pouring rain.   
Garnet stood beside her. “ **I’ll go looking for her. I’m lightning proof.** ”   
As she took a step, Connie grabbed her hand. “ **Uhh... You sure about that? You’re human now, remember?** ”   
Garnet paused. “ **Umm...** ”   
Just then, a large bolt of lighting struck the ground out on the grassy path outside. The grass burst into flames briefly, but under the weight of the heavy downpour, they were quickly doused.   
“ **Maybe not...** ” Garnet said, stepping back inside. “ **Thanks.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **That’s okay. Besides, you’d be the tallest thing out there. Not a good thing to be during a thunderstorm...** ”   
“ **Pearl’s tall...** ” Steven whispered fearfully. 

Garnet nodded. “ **Pearl’s also smart. She’s taken cover somewhere, or even warped somewhere when she was out of sight. She’ll come back when she’s ready.** ”   
“ **I hope so...** ” Amethyst sighed.   
Behind them, at the back of the room, the little girl and the man glanced at each other.   
< ** _I wonder if that’s true..._** > he whispered. < ** _About the demon king dying..._** >   
The girl sighed. < ** _My sister’s letter said to trust her... I thought she was getting a bit senile..._** >

With a glance at the two whispering Sheikah, the kids sat down near the bookshelves and carefully pulled one out. Opening it, they stared in amazement at the flowing script on the page.   
“ **Wow... I have no idea what it says, but it’s still beautiful to look at...** ” Connie whispered.   
Steven nodded. “ **Yeah. Maybe we can find one with pictures?** ”   
“ **Sure.** ” Connie nodded and gently closed the book, placing it back onto the shelf. “ **Let’s try... this one...** ”   
The man cautiously walked over. < ** _Can I help you?_** >   
They glanced up at him. “ **Ummm** **... Huh?** ”   
As they stared at each other, the girl shook her head. < ** _Symin_** ** _, I don’t think they can understand us..._** >   
Symin glanced back. < ** _Oh..._** ** _So_** ** _they can’t read either?_** >   
< ** _I would presume not._** > she shrugged. < ** _They keep looking in different books. Perhaps they’re looking for a picture book?_** >   
Symin nodded and went towards a different shelf. < ** _How about..._** >   
< ** _One with legends of the hero._** > the girl said. As he looked at her, she nodded. 

They watched the man and girl talk to each other. Finally, he came back, a reasonably thick book in his hands. Opening it, they saw brightly coloured pictures with small amounts of text.   
“ **Yes!** ” Steven nodded enthusiastically.   
Connie held out her hands for the book. “ **Thank you!** ” she smiled. 

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With a final flash of lightning, the thunderstorm ended.   
Pearl sighed heavily beneath the cover of the small woodpile shelter.   
As the rain thinned and finally ended, Amethyst came outside, followed closely by Garnet.   
“ **Pearl, there you are...** ” Amethyst sighed, climbing up and hugging her. “ **We were worried you’d get struck by lightning...** ”   
Garnet sat down beside them. “ **Connie stopped me from coming out after you. I'm not lightning proof here...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **She’s a smart girl. I'm glad that she’s able to keep my idiots alive when I'm not around...** ”   
“ **Hey!** ” Amethyst scoffed. “ **We’re not that dumb...** ”   
Pearl smiled and wrapped her arms around the smaller Gem. “ **No, I've seen dumber...** ”   
“ **Rose?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Rose.** ” she shrugged. “ **And Pink. Honestly, I think the most intelligent person to have that gem is Steven...** ” she laughed. “ **He’s a** ** _definite_** **improvement on the original.** ” 

“ **So... What’d they say to make you walk out like that?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Just that I was** **Ganon’s** **daughter... She was clearly afraid of me...** ”   
“ **That’s not fair.** ” Garnet huffed.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No, it isn’t. It's not even that accurate...** ”   
“ **Huh?** ” Amethyst glanced up. “ **It isn’t?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **No. My father was** **Ganondorf** **, the man.** **Ganon** **seems to be the name for the monster he became after being cursed by the Triforce, like that swirling vortex of evil at the castle...** ” she sighed. “ **I was never** **Ganon’s** **daughter. I was** **Ganon** ** _dorfs_** **. It's an important difference.** ” she shook her head. “ **Not that they seem to care much about that...** ” 

As Steven and Connie came outside, Garnet waved them over as Amethyst shifted to only have one arm around Pearl.   
“ **Pearl? What’d you mean by cursed?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **The** **Triforce** **has ruined nearly every life it’s ever touched. The** **Triforce** **can only be touched by a being who has courage, wisdom and power in equal, balanced, measures. Otherwise, it splits apart. My father got the** **Triforce** **of Power. He's now the household name for the embodiment of evil, and is indistinguishable from the monster he became after touching that thing...** ” she sighed, running a hand down her face. “ **The Princess Zelda from my time? She thought it was reasonable to put a child on trial, with the jury basically being people who had all died because of my father. She had the** **Triforce** **of Wisdom. More like the** **Triforce** **of Insufferable Bitch...** ” she muttered.   
“ **What about Courage?** ” Connie asked as Garnet and Amethyst both snickered and Steven’s face reddened.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, I can’t speak for that Link guy, or any of the other heroes who have had this thing.** ” she held up her right hand. “ **But I’ve had this thing for less than a day, and I'm already throwing myself off of cliffs and mountains. That’s not courage... It’s plain recklessness...** ” she groaned. “ **What next? I suddenly feel the urge to fight a horde of** **Moblins** **?!** ” she shook her head. “ **The** **Triforce** **is a cursed object... The goddesses made a mistake when they left that blasted thing behind...** ” 

Connie and Steven glanced at each other. “ **Pearl, we were looking at some of the books on there. They must have realised that we were looking for something with pictures, so the guy gave us one...** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **There’s one that... might be your dad...** ”   
Pearl looked at them for a moment before standing. “ **Show me.** ” 

Inside, Pearl sat on the floor as Connie flipped to a page near the beginning of the book. “ **Here...** ”   
Pearl leaned over.   
A tall man with dark skin, short fiery red hair, a large nose, and dark armour studded with topazes was depicted on the page, glaring out blindly with piercing amber eyes. A metallic and elaborate piece of jewellery was set on his forehead, seemingly set with an orange-tinged pearl.   
Connie glanced at her. “ **We can’t read the caption...** ” she said nervously.   
“ **Ganondorf** **Dragmire** **... King of the** **Gerudo** **.** ” Pearl breathed. “ **That’s my father...** ” 

Amethyst couldn’t hold back a snicker. “ **Your last name is** ** _Dragmire_** **?!** ”   
Pearl blushed. “ **I didn’t** **exactly** **pick it, Amethyst...** ”   
“ **What does the page say?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl looked it over. “ **Uhh** **...** ” she sighed. “ **The usual. ‘** ** _Born with an evil heart... took control... seven dark years... sword of evil’s bane..._** **’** **blahblahblah** **.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Pretty much what I’ve already told you about him.** ” she looked at the picture again. “ **I haven’t seen him in so long...** ” she whispered.   
Steven glanced at Connie. “ **My phone’s almost dead, but it still turns on... I could take a photo for you... I can send it to your phone when we get home.** ”   
Pearl stared at him. “ **Yes, thank you.** ” she smiled. 

Pearl glanced back at the little girl and the man, standing at the back watching them curiously. With a sigh, she stood and walked over to them. < ** _Listen, it doesn’t matter whether you trust me or not. But the goddesses picked me to come here because they’re worried that Link won't wake up in time. They gave me his bit of the_** ** _Triforce_** ** _._** > she removed her glove, and they gasped at the glowing symbol on her hand. < ** _Impa_** ** _told me to come here, because the slate isn’t working properly. I can’t save Hyrule for anybody unless this thing is working properly._** > she said as she pulled the glove back on. < ** _So, are you going to help me, or not?_** >   
The girl glanced at Symin. < ** _Fine. I’m_** ** _Purah_** ** _, director of the lab_** ** _. I can repair the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate. But first, I need you to run an errand for me..._** >

Pearl looked down at her. < ** _Fine, what is it?_** >   
Purah walked over to the chair, climbing back up. < ** _The furnace outside. The flame went out some time ago, and because of my... situation, we’ve been unable to relight it. There is an ancient furnace in town. Collect the blue flame from there, and bring it here to light our furnace. Only then will my sweet little Guidance Stone work again, and we can restore your missing runes and data._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, where’s the furnace?_** >   
< ** _On the high ground behind_** ** _Reede’s_** ** _house, in town. As soon as you leave this laboratory, head left until you’re at the cliff’s edge. Then make use of your scope! You'll see a blue flame. That's the ancient furnace._** >   
< ** _Understood._** > Pearl nodded, turning to leave.   
< ** _One more thing._** > Purah called. Pearl turned to look. < ** _When bringing back the blue flame from the ancient furnace, you may find it helpful to use a torch. There should be one at the entrance of this house. Feel free to use it._** >   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay guys. I need to get a blue flame from a furnace in town, and use it to light the one outside.** ” she said as she picked up the torch.   
“ **Ooh, we can help!** ” Steven called, standing up. “ **Crystal Gem teamwork, activate!** ” 

Outside, Pearl stood near the edge of the cliff and used the scope. “ **Let’s see... Ah! There it is!** ” she placed a beacon and nodded. “ **Okay guys, we have to go back into town.** ”   
“ **How about a relay?** ” Connie asked. “ **We each stand at various points along the path. One person collects the flame, passes the torch to the next, and them the next, until it gets back here.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes, that will work.** ” she looked down the path a little. “ **The torches will go out if it starts to rain though, so try to light any of those braziers along the way.** ” she pointed at the small stone monuments lining the path.   
“ **Oh, is that what they are...** ” Garnet murmured.   
Pearl nodded. “ **They were probably set up so that** **Purah** **and** **Symin** **could collect the flame. Right, let’s get started.** ” 

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As Garnet placed the torch near the furnace, it burst into flames. Quickly, she turned and started to jog, but the torch spluttered and died. Frowning, she went and lit it again, walking as quickly as she could towards the first brazier. Lighting it, she started towards the waiting Amethyst. “ **Don’t run, it’ll go out.** ”   
Amethyst nodded and accepted the torch. She walked towards the next brazier as Garnet walked behind her, lighting it while Garnet went ahead to where Pearl waited on the bridge.   
“ **Don’t run, it’ll go out. I’ll go and warn the kids.** ”   
Pearl nodded, and as Amethyst caught up and handed her the torch, Garnet jogged ahead. 

Pearl handed the torch over to Connie, two braziers glowing behind her.   
The girl nodded and walked the torch up the hill towards Steven, who was waiting halfway up with Garnet beside him.   
Pearl glanced towards the sky, seeing it rapidly filling with clouds. Taking out the slate, she frowned. “ **Rain’s coming...** ”   
Connie walked faster, keeping one eye on the flame. 

Steven accepted the torch with a grin.   
“ **Walk quickly, Steven, there’s rain coming.** ” Pearl said, putting the slate away and watching the sky.   
He nodded and went up the hill, lighting the final brazier. With a deep breath, he quickly moved towards the furnace, holding the torch to it as the rain started to come down.   
The furnace burst into life as they dashed under the cover of the small porch.   
Pearl sighed happily. “ **Thanks guys...** ” 

Inside the lab, they found Purah jumping up and down excitedly and giggling. < ** _Yes!_** **>** She pointed at Pearl. < ** _Put the Sheikah Slate on the Guidance stone!_** >   
Pearl shrugged and walked over to it, waiting as the device glowed. < ** _Repairing..._** >

When the slate popped back up, Pearl took it and looked at it. < ** _Huh... Camera, Compendium... Neat._** >   
< ** _Test it._** > Purah ordered, and Pearl turned to look at her. < ** _Take a picture of me._** >   
Pearl sighed and selected the rune, taking a quick snapshot.   
< ** _Show me!_** >   
After seeing the image, Purah giggled. < ** _Use that rune to take pictures for the Compendium._** >   
“ **Pearl, what happened? Is it fixed?** ” 

Pearl turned back. “ **Looks like it. I now have some sort of encyclopedia, where I have to take pictures to access any data... And a new camera rune.** ”   
Steven and Connie looked at each other with grins. “ **Selfies?** ”   
“ **Selfies. Pearl!** ” 

Pearl fiddled with the slate. “ **Way ahead of you... Let’s see... How do I switch... Ah-ha! Found it.** ” She turned it around to show them their faces on the screen.   
“ **Oohoohooh!** ” Steven jumped up and down with excitement. “ **Pearl, you should take a picture with all of us! That way, you can always have us with you.** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Oh, alright.** ” 

As the group gathered around her, Pearl glanced at the screen. “ **Garnet, that hair of yours is too big to fit... Maybe you should be in back...** ”   
Once everyone was in position, Pearl sighed. “ **Everyone ready?** ”   
“ **Say Cookie cat!** ” Amethyst grinned.   
“ **Cookie Cat!** ” 

Pearl saved the picture with a smile. “ **I managed to keep my eyes open this time...** ” she blushed faintly.   
Amethyst glanced back at the little girl. “ **Yo, Pearl? Why does that kid seem to be in charge?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Beats me. Maybe she’s older than she looks, like us? I suppose I can ask...** ” < ** _Excuse me?_** >   
Purah looked up at her. < ** _Yes?_** >   
< ** _My friends were wondering why a child is in charge here_**.>   
Purah stamped her foot. < ** _How very_** **rude** ** _!_** > she huffed, crossing her arms. < ** _Hmm... or perhaps it’s not rude at all... I suppose that’s actually a rather logical conclusion to jump to._** > she looked around. < ** _Well, even though Impa looks a_** **loooot** ** _older than me, she’s actually my little sister._** > she sighed.   
< ** _Wait... What?!_** > Pearl stared.   
Purah shrugged. < ** _The truth is, I look this way because of a failed experiment. Well, I say ‘failed’, but... in some ways, it was a success. I documented the full affair in my diary upstairs. BUT! The whole thing is embarrassing, so I insist you refrain from reading it!_** > she glared.   
Pearl raised her hands placatingly. < ** _Okay, that’s fair._** >

< ** _I suppose I could ask you the same thing._** > Purah glanced at her slyly. < ** _After all, I'm not thousands of years old..._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I ended up in another realm. Their realm, actually._** > she poked a thumb back at the others. < ** _Under the rules of their realm, I became functionally immortal. Which took some time getting used to, believe me..._** >   
Purah’s eyes were wide. < ** _Hmm... I suppose it’s similar to how Ganon is still around after all this time._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _The demonic spirit is still around, yes. But like I said before... That’s not my father._** >   
“ **So, what gives?** ” Amethyst tapped Pearl’s shoulder. 

Pearl glanced back. “ **She did some sort of experiment. It was successful, but it had the unintended consequence of making her look and act like a child. She's actually** **Impa’s** **older sister.** ”   
“ **Wha** **?!** ” Steven gasped.   
Connie shook her head. “ **Poor girl.** ” When everyone looked at her, she shrugged. “ **She’s** **gotta** **go through puberty all over again. I wouldn’t want to...** ”   
Pearl shuddered. “ **Stars, you’re right...** ” 

< ** _One more thing._** > Purah said, drawing Pearl’s attention. < ** _I can provide upgrades to some of the runes on the Sheikah Slate. Just bring me three ancient screws, shafts or cores, and my sweet little Guidance Stone can do the rest._** >   
Pearl reached into her bag. < ** _Uh, you mean these things?_** > she held out a handful of screws, bolts, and three small glowing objects.   
Purah jumped happily. < ** _Yes, exactly!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Okay, let’s do these upgrades._** >

As the Guidance Stone interacted with the slate, Pearl glanced at the others. “ **I knew those things from the Guardians would come in handy at some point... She’s upgrading the slate’s runes in exchange for three of each of them.** ”   
“ **Oh, neat.** ” Steven smiled. 

Once the upgrades were done, Pearl examined the slate. “ **Hmm... Let’s see... Ah, my bombs recharge faster, and are more powerful. I like that.** ” she grinned. “ **And the sensor got upgraded to, by the looks of it.** ” her eyes widened. “ **Ooh, and I can now use Stasis on enemies!** ” she laughed. “ **That’s gonna be fun to play around with.** ”   
“ **You’re gonna wail on ‘em?** ” Amethyst smirked.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Quite possibly.** ” she shrugged. “ **Or maybe just take the opportunity to run past them without a fight. It really depends on the situation.** ” 

< ** _I have something else to tell you..._** >   
Pearl looked back at Purah. < ** _Yes?_** >   
< ** _If you have a chance, try to reach my colleague Robbie at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. He can possibly provide you with ancient weapons, or maybe even armour. That's what he was researching, after all._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Sounds like something I’d be interested in. I'll find him._** >

Connie looked around at the shelves of books. “ **Hey, Pearl?** ”   
“ **Yes, Connie?** ”   
“ **Can you ask them if we can come back, look at the books some more? When you’re out travelling, I mean...** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Of course.** ” < ** _My young friends here would like to be able to return. They simply love books, you see, and can't resist wanting to explore them. Even if they can’t understand what’s actually written there..._** >   
Symin nodded. < ** _I would be delighted to help two young readers. Perhaps I can teach them some basic_** ** _Hylian_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl glanced back at the two young teens. < ** _I think they would love that. I won’t have the time, you see, what with this whole heroic destiny thing that got forced onto me..._** > she huffed. < ** _But I can assure you, they are both exceptionally fast learners. I should know, I've taught them both at times._** > she turned back to the group. “ **Kids, they said yes.** ”   
Steven and Connie grinned.   
“ **Woo!** ” he laughed. “ **Thank you!** ”   
Connie bowed. “ **Thank you.** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Also,** **Symin** **here has asked permission to teach you some basic Hylian whilst I'm away.** ”   
The two teens eyes lit up, and they stared at him happily.   
“ **So, behave yourselves, be respectful, and remember that they both need to sleep more often than we do, so let them sleep. Oh.** ” 

Pearl looked back at Symin. < ** _One thing. Because of the rules of their realm, they don’t actually need to sleep as often. Basically, we can all be awake for up to sixteen days here, but then sleep for around eight._** >   
Purah gasped. < ** _That’s incredible! The productivity alone!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _We travelled from the Great Plateau, up to Kakariko and then to here without sleeping, and only pausing to eat twice._** >   
< ** _Amazing!_** > Symin breathed.   
< ** _I’ve asked them to remember that you need to eat and sleep more than they do, and to be quiet during those times. Oh, and one more thing?_** > she sighed. < ** _It’s already been several hours for us, we're all going to need to sleep soon, so their lessons will have to wait a few days._** >   
Symin nodded. < ** _I understand. I look forward to teaching them._** >   


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“ **So, what now?** ” Connie asked as they stood outside the lab.   
Pearl yawned. “ **Uh, to be honest... I’m starting to feel pretty tired actually...** ” she blushed slightly.   
“ **What’s the time? Back on Earth, I mean?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl paused. “ **Let’s see... We’ve been here for about... eleven, maybe twelve hours, so... I think it’s about... 9pm...** ”   
Connie winced. “ **Yeah, that’s past my bedtime. M** **y mother** **’s** **gonna** **freak if she knew...** ”   
“ **Well, we just won’t tell her then.** ” Pearl smiled. “ **Come on. I suppose we can see about sleeping on the floor in that empty house. It won’t be exactly comfortable, but it’ll be warmer than being on top of a tower.** ” 

Once the glow of the warp had faded, Pearl turned and led them towards the house. She looked around nervously before walking into the doorway. “ **Hmm, no door... Well, still better than nothing.** ” she pointed up to the second floor. “ **Warm air rises, so logically, we’ll be warmer up there.** ” 

As they all got settled, Steven looked over at the Gems. “ **Hey, Pearl?** ”   
“ **Hmm... Yes, Steven?** ”   
He smiled. “ **You’re** **gonna** **take pictures of lots of cool stuff to show us, right?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes, I’ll get a selfie with all the monsters that try to eat me.** ” she smirked.   
“ **Pearl!** ” he groaned, giggling.   
“ **Right before I stab them.** ” she added before she yawned widely. “ **Ugh... Okay, someone’s going to have to teach me how to do this... sleeping... thing... Because I honestly don’t remember anymore...** ” 

Amethyst sighed. “ **Okay, first, lay down.** ”   
Pearl leaned back and lay on her back, arms straight at her side. “ **Okay.** ”   
“ **Then, get reaallly comfy. Like, all the cleaning’s done, there’s no monsters to fight, Steven’s been fed, and there’s literally nothing else to do but relaaaax...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **There’s always something else to do... I was never all that good at relaxing... but I’ll give it a try...** ”   
They watched as she moved around, trying various positions. With one final groan, she flopped onto her side. “ **Okay, I think that’s the best I'm gonna be able to manage... What now?** ” 

Amethyst lay down beside her. “ **Close your eyes.** ”   
“ **This better not be a prank, Amethyst...** ” she muttered as her eyes slowly closed.   
Amethyst shook her head. “ **Nah, sleeping’s serious business. Now, stop talking. Stop thinking. Just... let your mind go blank.** ”   
Pearl opened one eye. “ **I can’t do that. There's always something going on in there...** ”   
“ **Well, what’s going on now?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Ideas about what I'm going to do tomorrow. How to explain to Connie’s parents, and Greg, and Bismuth for that matter... that the reason we got dragged into another dimension is because of me and my past...** ” she sighed. “ **And there’s an entire section devoted to figuring out how to get away with punching a** ** _literal_** **goddess in the nose...** ” she muttered. “ **Without being curse** **d** **, set on fire or erased from existence.** ” she looked sad. “ **And about the distinct possibility that I might have to fight my father... or whatever’s left of him in that... thing...** ” she sighed heavily. “ **And if there’s even a small part** **of him left** **that... remembers me...** ” 

Amethyst moved closer and held her. “ **Man, Pearl... That’s heavy...** ” she rubbed the thin woman’s back slowly. “ **Just, drop all of that, okay? Tell everyone in there to just... put whatever they’re holding away on a table or something, and then to lie on the floor, or whatever ya got in there...** ”   
Pearl’s arms slipped around Amethyst, pulling her closer. “ **The one in my war memories isn’t going to want to lie on the ground... It’s covered in shards...** ” she whispered.   
Amethyst paused. “ **Give her a bed. Something really soft and comfy, she’s earned it.** ” 

After a moment, Pearl’s breathing slowed. Garnet leaned over cautiously. “ **I think s** **he’s out.** ” she whispered.   
“ **Good.** ” Amethyst murmured. “ **Everyone, quiet...** ”   
Connie nodded as she laid down. “ **Goodnight...** ”   
“ **Goodnight...** ” 

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**Beach City:**

“ **Greg? Yes, Priyanka here. Is Connie there? It’s past her bedtime, and we would prefer that someone had told us that she’d be sleeping over.** ”   
Greg looked around the car wash. “ **Uh, I don’t know anything about that. I could go up to the house, see what’s going on?** ”   
“ **Yes, please.** ”   
“ **Okay, I’ll call** **ya** **back.** ” 

“ **Steven? Pearl?** ” Greg looked around the darkened beach house. “ **Garnet? Amethyst?** ” after a moment, he hesitantly knocked on the Temple door. “ **You guys in there?** ”   
After a few minutes without a sound, Greg sighed and dialled the phone. “ **Yeah, I don't think anyone's here... Looks like they’ve been gone all day...** ”   
“ **Well, where are they?!** ” Priyanka’s voice caught with concern.   
Greg shrugged, unseen to the worried mother on the other end of the line. “ **No idea. Steven did say something about going on a mission today. Sometimes, they get held up unexpectedly. I’m not too worried. The Gems will keep the kids safe. They'll probably be back tomorrow.** ” 

Priyanka sighed, glancing at Doug at the kitchen table. “ **Well, tell her to call us the** **_second_ ** **she gets back. And I want a word with Pearl about the importance of a teenagers’ sleep schedule.** ” 

Greg winced. “ **Okay, talk to you tomorrow. Bye.** ” he hung up. “ **Yeesh... Wouldn’t want to be Pearl right now.** ” he muttered as he collected a blanket from the cupboard and settled himself onto the couch.

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**_END OF DAY 1._ **

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buddy, Pearl doesn’t wanna be Pearl right now. 


	11. Day 2- Grumpy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just a heads up.  
> Because of the lack of obvious bathrooms in the game, I decided to just make the sealed room round the back of the house into the outhouse just for arguments sake.  
> I had a quick look around Hateno, and I think all of the houses have that room that can't be opened.

_Day 2 Earth_ _time..._

**_Day_** ** _s_ ** **_in Hyrule..._ ** **_20..._ **

Steven yawned and stretched with a groan. “ **M-** **mor** **-** **ning** **...** ” he grumbled.   
Garnet sat up and stretched, her glasses on her knee as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. “ **Morning, Steven...** ” she whispered.   
“ **Ugh...** ” Connie sat up, her hair mussed up and pointing in all directions. “ **At least there’s no school...** ”   
Garnet chuckled. “ **Except for your** **Hylian** **lessons?** ”   
Connie blinked at her slowly. “ **Right... those... I’m not awake...** ”   
“ **Steven’s still dreamin** **’** **‘bout cookie cat...** ” the boy muttered, eyes drifting closed. 

Garnet glanced at the remaining members of their group with a smile. “ **Well, at least Pearl’s gotten some sleep...** ” she mused.   
“ **Huh?** ” Steven’s eyes opened again and he glanced over to see Pearls’ face buried in Amethysts’ chest, her thin arms wrapped around the shorter woman and one knee between her legs. Amethyst had her arms around Pearl, one hand suspiciously close to her backside and her lips pressed to the oval-shaped gem on her forehead.   
Steven blushed deeply, his eyes now wide open. “ **Uhhh** **...** ” he half raised an arm to cover his eyes.   
Connie glanced at Garnet. “ **Okay, they’re totally together, right?** ”   
Garnet chuckled softly and nodded. “ **They decided to give it a try, yes. Things are going pretty well so far. But they’re still shy about it.** ” 

Steven’s eyes gleamed as he lowered his arm. “ **They’re in** ** _love_** **? No-one told me...** ”   
“ **It’s their business, not ours.** ” Garnet shrugged. “ **They only told me in case my future vision was affected. I can only see what I know about. That's why I didn’t see the slightest hint of Rose’s true identity. I didn’t have any reason to suspect the truth, so I couldn’t take it into account for any possible futures.** ” she glanced at her two sleeping friends. “ **There’s a chance that not knowing about their new relationship meant that I could have missed a potentially bad future. They didn’t want to risk that, so...** ” she shrugged. 

“ **Besides...** ” she glanced at Steven. “ **There’s a fair chance that had you known; you would have gotten so excited that you would have started planning their wedding. They're still working out if they can even make this work. They could just have easily had a fight and broken up after two weeks. Leaving everything awkward and uncomfortable. Keeping this as quiet as possible meant that if it failed, they could have just... pretended, that it’s business as usual. Thankfully, that is more and more unlikely. If they can just stay together through learning about Pearl’s real past... they can handle anything.** ”   
Connie smiled. “ **Well, they're cute together.** ”   
“ **Perfect...** ” Steven whispered, starry-eyed.   
Garnet grinned. “ **I know.** ” 

A small groan drew their attention, and as they watched, Pearl rolled over, dragging Amethyst with her.   
“ **Floor... hard...** ” they heard her mutter as she nuzzled back into Amethysts’ chest. “ **Tiddy** **... soft...** ”   
Steven blushed deeply as Connie giggled.   
“ **Ruby can relate.** ” Garnet chuckled.   
Steven covered his ears. “ **Steven doesn’t need to hear this...** ”   
Garnet grinned. “ **Steven, you’ll find out the same thing yourself... eventually...** ” she winked at Connie, whose face promptly darkened with a blush of her own. 

Amethyst rolled away from Pearl with difficulty, sitting up and scratching sleepily under her top. “ **Morn** **in’** **...** ” she trailed off with a sigh. Glancing over, she saw Pearl lying on the floor, her hair mussed up wildly and eyes scrunching up against the sunlight now streaming through the uncovered window. “ **Morning, sleepy Pearly...** ” she teased.   
Pearl grunted and curled forwards, burying her face into Amethysts’ thigh. “ **Not morn** **til** **say morn...** ” she growled; her voice thick with sleep.   
Connie giggled. “ **Someone’s not a morning person...** ”   
“ **Not... person... hate... morn...** **sleeeeep** **...** ” came the muffled growl. 

They heard the sound of feathers and what seemed to be a rooster flew up from below and settled on the railing. It took a deep breath and let out a loud crow.   
Pearl leapt to her feet, grabbing a nearby shield and flinging it at the bird. There was a loud clang followed by a muffled squawk, and a soft thud.   
Through the open doorway, they saw the now scruffy rooster running towards the bridge. 

Pearl stood there for a moment, wobbling slightly, her eyes still closed. “ **Damned** **Cuccos** **...** ” she muttered, sitting down abruptly and curling up in Amethysts lap. “ **Do that again, and we’ll be having roast** **bird** **for breakfast...** ” she added, her breathing already slowing. 

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As the sun rose yet again, Pearl finally stirred. “ **Belly... feel... weird...** ” she muttered.   
Amethyst glanced down. “ **Like a pressure at the front? About here?** ” she gave Pearl a quick poke in the abdomen.   
Pearl slapped her hand away. “ **M’yes** **...** ”   
Amethyst smirked. “ **That’s pee. You need to pee, P.** ”   
“ **Nooo** **...** ” Pearl moaned, trying to nuzzle further into Amethysts’ cleavage. “ **Don’t** **wanna** **...** ”   
Connie looked around nervously. “ **Umm... Actually, so do I. I** ** _really_** **hope Hyrule got past the level of trees and bushes...** ”   
As Amethyst helped Pearl to stand, the thin woman wobbled slightly. “ **Come on Pearly... Time to wake up and save Hyrule.** ”   
“ **Hyrule can kiss my ass...** ” Pearl muttered, shuffling forwards, her eyes still closed. “ **It’s old enough to save itself... Damned punk realm...** ” 

Amethyst snickered. “ **Well, someone’s grumpy first thing in the morning...** ”   
“ **Someone’s got several thousand years' worth of sleep to catch up on...** ” Pearl retorted as she somehow made it to the bottom of the stairs without falling. She stood there for a moment, leaning against the wall with one hand. “ **Damned bladder... Why couldn’t you stay gone?** ” she muttered as she stumbled through the open doorway.   
Standing in front of the house, they looked out over the small village. Pearl cracked one eye open against the glare and after a moment, she stumbled around the side of the house. With a shrug, they followed her, just in time to see her open a door at the back of the small house, closing it behind her.   
“ **Outhouse?** ” Connie asked.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Probably. We'll go in order of seniority. Pearl’s the oldest, and she got there first, so...** ”   
Amethyst scoffed. “ **And of course, you’re the second oldest, so naturally...** ”   
Garnet grinned, moving forwards as the door open and Pearl stumbled back out. “ **Naturally.** ”   
“ **Jerk...** ” Amethyst muttered as Pearl knelt to wash her hands in the nearby pool of water. 

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Pearl cracked a small egg into the cooking pan, following it quickly with three more. She watched as they set and cooked, and after a moment she expertly flipped them out into each bowl to join the thinly sliced and grilled venison steaks already there. She added another egg to the pan, and as they happily tucked into their meals, she flipped it out onto her thick slice of grilled fish.   
“ **Mmm** **... This is awesome, Pearl.** ” Steven mumbled happily around a mouthful of venison.   
Pearl nodded; a mouthful of her meal already half-chewed. “ **Mmmm** **...** ” 

“ **So, what’s the plan for today?** ” Connie asked as they finished cleaning the bowls.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, I think that I should start trying to clear as many shrines as I can. I will probably start to the south, or maybe by gliding down from the Great Plateau again. If I can activate some towers along the way, find some stronger weapons...** ” she sighed. “ **Okay, truth is? I'm going to stall.** ” she looked around at them. “ **If I can stall long enough, maybe Hero boy can wake up, and he can deal with the rest.** ” she shrugged. “ **If I can get as many Spirit Orbs as I can find, when he wakes up, I can see about trying to give him everything. Plus, I have to locate that sword of his...** ”   
“ **What sword?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl smiled faintly. “ **The legendary Sword of Evil’s Bane. The Sword that Seals the Darkness. The Master Sword.** ” she shrugged. “ **It has many names, but it’s basically the same thing. A sword so powerful that evil beings simply cannot touch it.** ” she sighed. “ **It’s the same one that the Hero from my time put through my father’s skull...** ” 

They fell silent. “ **Pearl, that’s messed up...** ” Garnet sighed.   
“ **I know...** ” Pearl shrugged. “ **But it’s really the only thing that can save Hyrule. Without that sword... it won’t matter if Link wakes up tomorrow. Ganon will destroy him, me, everyone and everything in Hyrule.** ”   
Amethyst poked her shoulder. “ **So, where is it?** ”   
“ **No idea.** ” Pearl sighed. “ **Legend says that it’s supposed to sleep in the deepest part of the forest. In my time however, it was sealed away in the Temple of Time. Clearly, that’s not the situation here, so... I have to find the thickest, deepest forest in Hyrule.** ” she looked thoughtful for a moment. “ **Perhaps that** **Hestu** **guy can help? He's likely got some sort of connection to the** **Deku** **Tree, who is basically the guardian spirit of the forest. If** **Hestu** **can take me to see the** **Deku** **Tree, maybe he can tell me where the sword is, or what I need to do to get to it.** ” 

“ **So, any other reason you’re stalling?** ” Connie asked nervously.   
Pearl glanced at her and sighed. “ **Yes... I’m also... wary, of visiting the Zora’s Domain... or Death Mountain... or the** **Gerudo** **Valley... If** **Impa** **knew who I am… Who I was...** ” she shook her head sadly. “ **Then it stands to reason that they’ll know as well. The Zora’s are very long lived, and have a tendency to write down their history. I... didn’t... I wasn’t very nice to the** **Zoras** **of my time...** ” she fidgeted nervously. “ **To be fair, my father didn’t like them, so he didn’t really encourage me to consider them as actual... well, people...** ” she sighed. “ **If any one of those people recognise who I am, they could very well drive me from their lands. At the very least. They might even attack me.** ” she shook her head. “ **I won’t be able to do much if they refuse to accept that I've changed... I’d have to leave their lands for Hero boy to handle.** ”   
“ **What about your people?** ” Steven asked. “ **Won’t they accept you?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **No idea. Words change meaning, things get written down wrong. A story of someone who did the best for her people after stepping into the role of leader at a young age could easily be changed into the story of someone who was hell-bent on domination. They could remember me as a** **Gerudo** **princess who was captured by the** **Hylians** **and disappeared, presumed secretly murdered. Or they could remember me as the daughter of a tyrant, who escaped and fled like a coward, leaving her people to be prosecuted for not just my crimes, but the crimes of my father...** ” she sighed. “ **It all depends on how they were treated after I left, and how they chose to remember me...** ” 

Pearl sighed heavily. “ **Anyway, if there’s even the smallest chance that they’ll accept me... I need to take that chance. But first, I should build up some strength.** ” Standing, she walked into the house.   
“ **Pearl?** ” Amethyst called up.   
Pearl glanced down as she strapped the sword onto her back. “ **I’ll be okay. I'm probably going to be gone for... a couple of weeks or so. Don't worry. I’ll try to avoid as many battles as I can.** ” With a glance at the kids, she smiled. “ **And yes, I’ll take as many pictures as I can along the way. If I can get close enough, I'll try to get one of the** **Gerudo** **desert, but no promises on that one.** ”   
As she came back down the stairs, Garnet nodded. “ **Good luck.** ”   
Amethyst wrapped her in a quick hug. “ **Come back soon.** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **I’ll try to return for lunch, but if I don’t, here’s some rupees.** ” she handed Connie a small handful of shards. “ **Buy some more eggs at the general store, or see if anybody will sell you some meat.** ”   
“ **Okay.** ” Connie nodded, pocketing the shards.   
Pearl nodded, taking out the slate. “ **Let’s see... I’ll go back to... that shrine.** ” she nodded, tapping the screen before she was whisked away in a stream of blue lights. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morning Pearl is not the happiest camper, no. 


	12. Wistful

Pearl shivered and pulled her Warm Doublet closer. Looking around, she nodded towards the nearby highlands and cautiously glided down towards the broken stone wall surrounding the plateau. Standing on the top, she used the slate’s scope to view the lands far below. Placing beacons on both the shrine far below and the distant tower on the hills above, she placed two more beacons between them, plotting out a safe-looking route. As the sun set, she settled down to wait out the night on the relative safety of the wall. 

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In the early morning light, Pearl stretched and stood, pulling out the glider. With a deep breath, she jumped off, gliding slowly towards the shrine below. A small nudge of a lever, and the glider collapsed above her. Pearl freely fell for a short distance before she pushed the glider back up. It caught the air, and with a sigh of relief she found herself only a short distance above the shrine. Swooping low, she landed perfectly on the shrine’s platform, almost exactly in front of the pedestal.   
“ **Ten points!** ” she grinned as she put the glider away and pulled out the slate. 

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Once outside the shrine, Pearl turned towards the towering rock wall behind the shrine. Looking above her, she saw the narrow wooden walkways. “ **Guess that’ll make a good first stop...** ” she muttered as she began to climb. 

After dealing with the loose metal block, she climbed up, cautiously landing on the wooden walkway. With a shrug, she followed it to the north, stepping carefully over the loose joins between the planks. 

Pearl paused halfway up the final ladder, and smiled at the banner hanging from the base of the platform above. ‘ _The_ _Gerudo_ _symbol... I’ve missed that..._ ’ She finished climbing and nervously poked her head up, looking around. Ahead, at the edge of the platform, she saw one of the small blue creatures. Quietly, she climbed up and used the camera. ‘ _Oh, it even identifies them for me... Cool. So, this is a_ _Blue_ _Bokoblin_ _... Okay, I guess the other ones are red_ _Bokoblins_ _..._ ’ Carefully, she crouched, sneaking forwards until she was close enough to poke it in the back with a spear. It howled and jumped forwards, right over the edge of the platform. Pearl looked over the edge at the dissipating cloud of dark smoke below with a chuckle. “ **Well, I guess I won’t be getting any loot from that one...** ” 

She turned and left the platform, looking towards her right to see the very top of the tower, just barely visible. Below, she spotted what looked like a scree slope, and she nodded. 

Half-running, half-climbing, Pearl scrambled up the slope, passing some small wooden walkways. She found a strange yellow mushroom above them, and a quick check through the camera revealed it to be a Zapshroom, which she bagged with a shrug before continuing her climb. 

At the top of the scree slope, she saw three wolf-like creatures. The camera revealed them to be Wasteland Coyotes, and with a howl, they started running towards her. Pearl quickly pulled out her bow, nailing one in the snout. As it collapsed, the other two quickly turned and ran away across the dusty soil. 

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Pearl stood on the narrow ledge, panting. Below her, she saw one of the large monsters with the long snout crouching besides a yellow blob with sparks dancing across it. “ **Huh... an Electric** **Chuchu** **and... Wait... That’s a** **Moblin?** **!** ” she whispered, looking down at the strange beast. “ **Okay, they’ve changed a lot** **since my time** **...** ” she shook her head and cautiously climbed up the cliff. 

As Pearl caught her breath, she found herself at the base of the tower. A murky swamp surrounded the tower, and large stone pillars stood at angles. Pearl sighed, looking at the nearby metal blocks. “ **Hmm... Okay... Got it.** ” Pulling out the slate, she activated the Magnesis rune, picking up a large metal block and swinging it around, slamming into one of the stone pillars. With a crunch, the pillar toppled, slamming into the next one. That knocked the third into the side of the tower, and with a screech of stone against metal, it came to a stop, leaning against the tower. “ **Right.** ” Pearl nodded, placing the metal block on the ground nearby before she switched to the Cryonis rune, creating a block of ice nearby. She jumped and clung to the ice, climbing to the top of the block before she pulled out the slate and created a second block of ice, waiting until she was safely on top before creating a third. 

Pearl clambered up the fallen stone pillar, stepping over to the second and pausing on top of the third. Bracing herself, she jumped, clinging to the side of the tower. With effort, she hauled herself up, pausing on each small platform to catch her breath. Finally, she reached the top and pulled out the slate, setting it into the pedestal. 

Below, the tower shone bright blue as the three vanes popped up above. 

Pearl nodded as she retrieved the slate. Looking around, she gasped and strode to the edge of the tower. “ **That’s...** ” she used the scope to look down on the vast desert ahead. Honing in on a series of stone structures, she saw very tiny figures moving around. “ **Gerudo Town...** ” she breathed. Switching to the camera rune, she zoomed in as far as possible and took a picture, smiling faintly. Sitting on the edge of the tower, she sighed and let her eyes roam over the view, constantly being drawn back to the walled stone town below. 

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As the sun rose behind her, Pearl glanced back. “ **Oh... I guess I better get on with it...** ” she sighed, climbing to her feet.   
Using the scope, she examined the view below, spotting a faint orange glow from behind a rock far away. “ **Okay, there’s a** **shrine there...** ” she set a beacon for later. “ **What else?...** **what’s... oh!** ” Glancing up, she nodded, placing a beacon on the structure poking up faintly behind the far cliff walls. “ **That could be another tower... I should check that out...** ” Looking down, she spied faint lights in the early morning haze in the canyon below. “ **That could be a building...** ” she placed another beacon and examined the cliffs below her. “ **Right, if I glide down to there, then...** ” 

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Pearl fell the last few feet, stumbling to her knees with a groan. Shaking herself off, she nervously stood, brushing the dust from her clothes as she felt her knees, pressing gently. “ **I don’t seem to be injured... that’s good...** ” she muttered. “ **Note to self; avoid rough landings...** ” she moved forwards and looked over the edge of the cliff. Below, she saw the shrine, glowing orange, and nearby, the faint light of the stable. Nodding, she prepared the glider and jumped off, landing not far from the shrine. 

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With a content sigh, Pearl gave her new Gerudo Scimitar a few experimental slashes. “ **Just how I remember it...** ” she murmured. She sheathed it, placing it into her bag before she glided down from the shrine, landing not far from the stable. Pausing, she stared with shock at the tall bird-man with the concertina standing in front of the stable. Glancing around, she saw that no-one else seemed too surprised by the usual sight. Nervously, Pearl stepped forwards. < ** _Um... excuse me?_** >   
< ** _Yes, young_** ** _Hylian_** ** _?_** > he said in a deep rich voice.   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Well, not exactly... Uh, I’m new around here... I was just wondering... Are you … a Rito?_** >   
He smiled and nodded. < ** _Why, yes, I am. Kass, travelling musician, and famed Rito bard._** > he bowed with a flourish.   
Pearl nodded and sighed. < ** _Pleased to meet you, Kass._** > she glanced around. < ** _Oh, there’s Beedle. Huh, he must move pretty fast to get here before me..._** > she smiled, nodding at Kass before she moved off. 

Once Pearl had spoken to the travelling merchant and moved a short distance away, she quietly took out the slate and snapped a picture of Kass. “ **Well, that clears that up...** ” she sighed. " **At least now I know what a Rito looks like...** " Changing to the map screen, she examined the beacons, looking up towards the sheer cliff walls. “ **Okay, I need to see if that’s actually a tower.** ” she sighed. 

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Pearl reappeared at the tower and stood looking out towards the highlands. Using the scope, she plotted out a route that would get her close to the possible tower. “ **Definitely something I should check out...** ” she glanced towards the setting sun and sighed. “ **But,** **that can wait until morning.** ” 


	13. Cold Intent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! I finally remembered to post on time!  
> (it's Saturday aussie time)  
> Now I just need to keep it up...

As the sun’s orange fiery glow lit up the eastern sky, Pearl nodded and jumped off the tower towards the north. She glided down, aiming for the edge of a rocky outcrop below. Seeing a Moblin below, she frowned, adjusting her course. As she felt her grip start to loosen, she let the glider fold up for a few seconds before opening it again, landing neatly on top of the fabric awning covering. 

Looking at the pink-tinted cliffs ahead, she spotted a narrow ledge, and leapt off towards it. She fell short, and quickly clambered up, resting briefly. Looking up at the cliff ahead, she ran up the steep slope, climbing briefly before resting on a small patch of level ground. She then ran up the steep slope beyond, eventually climbing a short distance to find herself on a flat hill top. 

As she reached the top of the next cliff, a blast of cold air hit her, taking her breath away. Pearl took a few steps forwards against it, shivering and panting, before shaking her head and turning, jumping off the cliff to the warmer area below, gliding for a few seconds. Shaking, she rubbed her arms. “ **Okay... N-n-not** **th** **-that w-way...** ” she stammered, blowing desperately into her hands to relieve her numb fingers. 

Pearl skirted west around the base of the cliff, quickly finding another cold patch. Veering off to the left, she frowned as she started heading downhill. Rounding the base of the cliff, she saw that the narrow path ended. She glanced down and spotted a wide ledge below with three dark crystals against the wall. 

After smashing the crystals and collecting the spoils, Pearl moved on, heading west towards a rocky outcrop. She skirted to the right to avoid a small pack of Wasteland Coyotes, leaping towards the small cliff ahead to avoid them as they raced towards her. 

Pearl hauled herself over the edge, finding herself face-to-face with a Bokoblin. As it slammed its spear towards her, Pearl dodged, drawing her own spear. She gave it a few quick jabs, knocking it back before slamming the spear down on its skull. As it faded away, Pearl sighed, tossing the broken spear away and picking up the creatures discarded one along with a small bundle of arrows. 

On top of the nearby round mound, Pearl sighed with relief at the sight of the tower. Carefully walking to the south east, she looked down over the edge to see a strange platform. A glance down, and she sighed. “ **Right, tower first, then I'll see what that platform’s about...** ” 

She glided down to the fabric awning, and listened carefully. After a moment, she decided that the small outpost was deserted and dropped down, standing on the edge of the small wooden landing. Taking a deep breath, she leapt, gliding towards the tower. 

Steering carefully, she made it to one of the lowest platforms, easily climbing the short distance up to the next platform. From there, it was only a short climb to the top. As the last red glow of the sunset faded on the horizon, Pearl placed her slate on the pedestal. 

Nearby, she was surprised to see the musician from the stable, Kass, playing his squeezebox. < ** _What if... No, but then..._** > he muttered to himself.   
Pearl retrieved the slate and walked over. < ** _Umm..._** > Pearl cleared her throat.   
Kass looked over his shoulder. < ** _Hmm?_** > he turned around and looked at her. < ** _Mm? Ah, forgive me. I was in a song written by my late teacher. He wrote it for the hero who fell to the Calamity one hundred years ago... So much time has passed, and yet the hero has not yet returned. But my teacher always kept faith. I hope to play the song for the hero someday, so I practice it often._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I understand._** > she glanced around. < ** _Uh, I would like to hear_** ** _it..._** ** _If you don’t mind?_** >   
Kass’ eyes lit up. < ** _Excellent! Without further ado..._** >

Turning, he looked down towards the platform, and Pearl shifted to see past him.   
< ** _As light shines from the northwest skies,_**   
**_From the tower’s shadow an arrow_** ** _flies_** ** _._**   
**_Pierce heaven’s light to reveal the prize._** > Kass sighed and turned. < ** _I still don’t quite understand the lyrics, but knowing my teacher, they’re the key to revealing a secret. Best of luck, and may the light illuminate your path._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you._** >

Glancing down, she moved a short distance away, pulling out the glider. Jumping, she glided down towards the platform, landing a short distance away. “ **Okay... tower’s shadow... arrow flies...** ” she glanced up at the tower, seeing the moon edging behind it. Looking around, she saw the tower’s shadow as a darker spot in the gloom, and watched as it slowly crept towards the platform. “ **Oh, I get it.** ” she smiled. Sitting down, she waited until the shadow was finally touching the platform, the faint orange glow returning. Standing, she reached for her bow, nocking an arrow and taking careful aim at the top of the tower. Letting it loose, she watched as it arced up, falling well short. 

As she reached for another arrow, she felt the ground rumble, and fell to her knees. Watching as the ground cracked up nearby, the small shrine structure bursting out. A few seconds later, and it was over, and Pearl stood up with a sigh. “ **Well, at least I know I did it right...** ” she smiled as she opened the shrine’s door. 

At the bottom of the lift, she stepped off. < ** _To you who sets foot in this shrine... I am Sasa Kai. In the name of the Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _, I offer this combat trial._** >   
“ **Combat trial?** ” Pearl sighed. “ **Great, murder bot time...** ” she rummaged through her bag, selecting her best sword and shield. “ **Right, that should do it.** ” 

Pearl watched the floor panel lifting up, revealing the robot. Its top popped out, and two arms flashed into life with a short sword and a long spear. She carefully readied herself as it came towards her, dodging the strike of the sword. It followed up with a jab of the spear, but she jumped away, striking back with a few quick strikes of her own. It jumped back and held its weapons out, starting into a spin. 

Pearl’s eyes widened, and she leapt behind the nearby stone pillar. It crumbled with the force of the strike, and she ran out to see the robot reeling from the impact. She gave it another quick barrage of strikes, stepping back and watching as it quickly recovered. She dodged another slash of the sword, wincing as her own sword developed a crack. Jumping back, she blindly groped into the bag for another, tossing the old one at the robot. It struck and shattered against it, knocking it back for a moment. 

The robot jumped back, its arms retracting followed shortly by its head. Pearl looked confused, and gasped as the laser burst forth. The robot’s head rotated, and Pearl dodged the beam. She saw the warm air rising, and smirked, sheathing her sword and pulling her bow. Leaping into the air, she drew and fired a single shot at its eye, sending it reeling. She pressed the advantage, striking it again and again. 

The robot recovered, and came for her again. As it raised its sword arm, Pearl dodge, only for it to suddenly strike out with its spear. Pearl gasped painfully, and the fairy suddenly rose out of her bag, circling her. She felt her strength return, and watched the fairy fade away gratefully. “ **That was a close one...** ” she muttered as she dodged another attack and sprung forwards to attack again. It jumped back, close to the wall and retracted again. She readied herself, wincing as it started to gather power for a focused laser beam attack. Pearl quickly drew her bow and fired a single shot into its eye. 

With a crackle of electricity, the robot slammed against the wall and exploded, scattering small parts. “ ** _YES!_ ** ” Pearl cheered. Eagerly, she collected the parts and almost skipped towards the now open doorway, pausing only to kick open a chest. She examined the icy cold sword, pulling out her slate to examine it. “ **Huh,** **Frostblade** **. Nice.** ” she grinned, bagging it before strolling to the altar at the back. 

Pearl reappeared outside with a sigh. Checking the time, she switched to the map screen, selecting the Wasteland Tower. She disappeared as a tall skeleton scrambled from the dirt nearby. 

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With the glow of a new day setting the eastern sky alight, Pearl looked towards the south. Examining the map, she trailed a finger over the contours, muttering softly to herself. “ **Hmm... might be something there. Looks very...** **shriney** **... Wait.** ” she paused. “ **Is that even a word?** ” she shook her head. “ **I’ve officially spent** **_way_ ** **too much time with Amethyst.** ” she laughed. Taking out the glider, she moved north, landing on the flat top of the next rocky outcrop. She examined the few rocks that lay scattered around, finding a few rupees, but soon moved on. 

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Pearl cautiously edged around the cliff, clinging on. Nervously, she looked over the edge at the Guardian Stalker, its single eye scanning the horizon before it turned and walked away. She quickly scrambled up, keeping an eye on the machine as its spindly legs carried it to the far side of the mesa. As it paused to scan again, Pearl stretched her fingers out. It turned, the eye flashing red, and as it raced towards her, she darted back, hanging over the edge again. It stood on the top of the cliff, searching for her as she quietly and slowly shifted to the side out of sight. 

On the far side of the mesa, Pearl bent over, hands on her knees as she panted with relief. Glancing back toward the machine as it continued its back and forth march across the mesa, she turned and started climbing the mountain behind her. 

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As Pearl climbed, she hit the layer of cold air and paused, shivering uncontrollably. “ **N-nope... n-n-not t-** **th** **-that w-way...** ” she muttered, slipping back down. She waited until she warmed up again before taking out her slate, examining the contour lines. “ **Hmm... If I go around to the left, I can maybe reach that spot... Wait... Is that a bloody maze?!** ” she looked up, glancing down to her right. 

Pearl stared at the structure below. Looking at the slate again, she nodded slowly at the clearly visible maze outlined on the map. “ **Yep. There’s an actual maze, in the middle of nowhere... because why not?!** ” she sighed. “ **And there’s probably a shrine in the middle too.** ” she put the slate away. “ **Let’s see... It looks like the only way out of there is by either walking through the desert, which I’m not equipped to do just yet, or by warping back to the tower and making my way back here... Eh, I’ll get to it later.** ” she shrugged, turning towards the wide ledge on the left. 


	14. Plains, But Not So Simple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry folks... Had a touch of food poisoning Saturday night, and it's taken me this long to even have the energy to get online...  
> Feeling better though.  
> Hopefully I can post on time this weekend.

**_Hateno_ ** **_Village:_ **

**Days in Hyrule... 27...**

Connie stirred the rice, lifting out a little bit with the small wooden ladle to test it. “ **Hmm... Yeah, I... I think that’s ready.** ” she waved the ladle. “ **Thanks for finding this, by the way.** ”   
Steven blushed. “ **I just hope no-one needed that... It was just lying there...** ”   
Garnet ruffled his hair. “ **Pearl would be oddly proud.** ” she chuckled.   
As Garnet reached out and took the ladle to fill the bowls, Connie looked around. “ **Where’s Amethyst?** ”   
“ **Yeah, she usually doesn’t miss a meal...** ” Steven looked towards the bridge, concerned.   
Garnet paused. “ **Hmm... Don’t know.** ” She handed the ladle back to Connie and stood. “ **I’ll go find her. You start serving.** ” 

Garnet walked around the back of the shrine, heading towards the tree on top of the hill. Underneath, she spotted her younger friend and smiled. “ **Amethyst.** ”   
She started, turning and looking up at her. “ **Oh... Uh, hey G...** ”   
“ **Lunch is ready.** ” Garnet leaned against the tree.   
Amethyst sniffed. “ **Yeah, I’ll... I’ll be there** **inna** **minute...** ”   
Garnet raised an eyebrow. “ **You’re crying...** ”   
“ **Yeah... Just...** ” she sighed. “ **Worried ‘bout Pearl, is all...** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **To be honest, so am I.** **But,** **she knows what she’s doing.** **Ehh** **, maybe she’ll even make it back in time for lunch. Unless the kids eat it all.** ” she reached out a hand. “ **Come on, you need to eat too.** ” 

As the two returned to the old house, they saw Connie carefully push a fried egg out onto a bowl of rice. She looked up. “ **Lunch is ready!** **I decided to add some fried eggs for protein.** ”   
Amethyst smiled. “ **Looks good, Con-con.** ” she sighed as she sat down.   
Steven already had a golden trail of egg yolk running down his chin, now scruffy with a scattering of dark hairs. “ **It is** **goot** **...** ” he said, muffled by the mouthful of eggy rice.   
Garnet took her bowl and gave Connie a thumbs up. “ **Thanks.** ” 

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**Days in Hyrule... 28...**

From her current ledge, she saw the orange glow of a shrine below, with the dark smoke of a campfire not far away. “ **Huh, someone else is crazy enough to be out here...** ” she muttered as she pulled out her glider. “ **I mean, at least I have an excuse, I’m saving Hyrule...** ” she paused. “ **But, I've also started talking** **out loud** **to myself, so there is that.** ” she sighed. 

As Pearl descended, she sighed with relief as the temperature slowly rose to a more comfortable level.   
Landing, she stretched her aching arms and walked forward towards the campfire. The wind shifted, and a rotten smell blew towards her, making Pearl gag slightly. “ **Oh stars, what is** ** _that_** **?!** ” 

Holding her nose, she rounded the corner to see a woman furiously tending to a cooking pot. Behind all, scattered in piles all around the shrine were rotting piles of garbage, and Pearl paled. Nervously, she stepped forward. < ** _Um... Everything okay here?_** >   
The woman glared at her. < ** _Yes, I'm creating a masterpiece, don’t distract me!_** >   
Pearl took a step back. < ** _Okay... Just, passing through..._** > she pointed at the shrine.   
She darted back behind the rock for a moment, shuddering. “ **Ugh, and I thought** ** _Rose_** **was a terrible cook...** ” she sighed. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she quickly walked out. Smiling nervously as she passed the woman, she walked towards the shrine as quickly as she could, using the slate to open it and retreating into its confines. Below, Pearl gasped, drawing deep breaths. “ **I have never been more unhappy to have this nose...** ” she muttered. 

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As the monk disappeared, Pearl felt the now familiar sensation of being warped out. Quickly, she took a deep breath.   
Outside, she glanced around in a panic, rushing behind the shrine, she scrambled up the small ledge, avoiding the scattered piles of garbage. At the edge of the cliff, she briefly looked out, spotting small pools of water below. Without hesitation, she jumped, steering towards them. 

In mid-air, Pearl gasped and panted. “ **Stars, that was horrible!** ” she coughed and spat. “ **Ugh, the taste is on my tongue...** ” she grimaced.   
Landing, she sighed, looking around. Not far away, she spotted a strange looking creature, and her jaw dropped. “ **What in the fresh hell is that?!** ” 

Taking out the slate, she viewed it through the camera, snapping a quick picture in the process. “ **Lynel... Never heard of that. Some sort of lion... centaur... thing...** ” In the distance, the Lynel turned and stared at her, reaching back to collect a bow. Pearl stepped back. “ **Okay, that’s... not good...** ” Turning, she ran, arrows landing very close as the Lynel tracked her. 

As Pearl ran past the end of the ridge, she paused, catching her breath. Peeking around a boulder, she saw the Lynel walking towards her, bow still drawn with an arrow nocked, and winced. “ **Yep,** **outta** **here.** ” she muttered, running as fast as she could. 

Panting, Pearl leaned against a tree. Glancing back, she sighed with relief when she saw that the Lynel was no longer following her. “ **Note to self; avoid** **Lynels** **. They're made of murder.** ” Taking out the slate, she chose to place a marker on the map in the rough location of the beast. “ **A skull... how appropriate.** ” she muttered, selecting it. Sighing, she noted the darkness of the area, and looked around. “ **I need to find high ground, locate the tower...** ” 

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As Pearl continued on past the camping man, she noticed with relief that there was now a rough path. “ **Okay, that’s good. People must come along here regularly enough.** ” Ahead, she spotted the tower and smiled. “ **Maybe I'll get lucky and this will go past that.** ” 

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Pearl followed the path, smiling when the obvious shape of a stable appeared in the distance on the other side of a fair-sized pond. Glancing behind her, she frowned as the sun dropped behind the mountain. She started to jog, slipping into the gate of the stable just before a tall Stal scrambled out of the ground. Pearl quickly checked it with the camera. “ **Stalmoblin** **? Okay, that makes sense.** ” Turning, she ignored it and walked over to Beedle to restock. 

Behind the stable, she noticed a shrine sitting on the small hill and nodded. Jumping the fence, she dashed up to the shrine, opening it. “ **Number six for today... I’m on a roll.** ” 

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In the morning, Pearl left the stable, dodging the Bokoblins on horseback. With relief, she saw that the path turned north, and followed it, keeping the tower in her sights. 

As she reached a fork in the road, she paused, looking down each path. To the right, she could see the faint orange glow of a shrine through the trees, and with a brief glance towards the tower, she shrugged. “ **Small detour.** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, she returned to the fork in the path and followed it as it curved towards the tower. 

With frustration, Pearl saw that the path went past the tower towards a stone fortification of some sort, and stepped away. As she moved closer, she saw strange lizard creatures and examined them with her camera. “ **Lizalfos... Familiar name, but they’ve changed a bit...** ” Cautiously, she sneaked past the scattered groups, finally reaching the base of the tower. Nearby, she heard the strange calls of the creatures, and examined the climb. When the nearest Lizalfos turned away, she started climbing, scurrying up as quickly as possible. Crouching, she took refuge on the first ledge as the Lizalfos started firing arrows at her. After a few moments, the barrage stopped, and Pearl started towards the next ledge. A couple of ledges up, the Lizalfos stopped trying to shoot her, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she made her way up the tower at a sustainable pace. 

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Amethyst sat under the tree, looking out across the landscape. Behind her, Garnet leaned against the tree, keeping watch over her friend. 

Suddenly, in the distance, a tower glowed bright blue, and Amethyst jumped up, grinning. “ **Yes! She’s okay!** ” she laughed.   
Garnet smiled. “ **Yep, looks like it. Told** **ya** **she knew what she’s doing.** ” she punched Amethysts' arm playfully.   
Amethyst smacked her hand away. “ **Yeah... But I'm still worried. I... I don’t want her getting hurt...** ” she sighed, glancing back towards the tower.   
“ **Me too.** ” Garnet placed a hand on the shorter Gem’s head. “ **But she was** ** _literally_** **chosen by a goddess for this. It’s possible that she’s getting some subtle help along the way. Little pushes in the right direction, that** **kinda** **thing.** ” Garnet shrugged. “ **We just have to trust that th** **at** **goddess is protecting her.** ” 

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After activating the tower, Pearl used the scope to examine the area. As she looked around, she placed a beacon on the next tower for future reference. She glanced down at the long stone bridge stretching across the lake below and whistled. “ **Lake** **Hylia’s** **had some work done since I last saw it...** ”   
Turning to the west, she saw that the sun was setting, and with a sigh she sat, pulling out a roasted apple to nibble while she waited for morning. 

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Pearl warp down to the shrine and looked around at the surrounding woods. Nervously, she glanced around at the ruins, running her fingers gently over the faint carvings in the stone. “ **I wonder who left these?** ” she mused, walking slowly along the path. 

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Pearl followed the path as it made its way through the deep forest. Hearing a familiar tune as she neared a bridge, she paused, glancing around. Standing on a stone piece of rubble just off the path was Kass.   
“ **Well, he pointed me to a shrine before...** ” she shrugged. < ** _Kass._** > she nodded in greeting as she drew near.   
< ** _A visitor? So deep in the forest?_** > he looked down over his instrument. < ** _Ah, we meet again! I trust you’re keeping well?_** > he looked around. < ** _I know a song about this place. Would you perhaps like to hear the ancient verse passed down in this region?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Happily._** >   
Kass seemed to grin, and readied his squeezebox. < ** _Excellent! Without further ado..._** > he started playing a slow melody.   
< ** _Where the forest dragon splays its jaws,_**   
**_A shrine sleeps with noble cause._** > he sighed and stopped playing. < ** _The forest dragon?_** > he shook his head. < ** _I’ve never seen a dragon in a forest around these parts. Though I supposed the forest from the song could be the_** ** _Damel_** ** _Forest, north of here. There's definitely a secret lying in wait- it's just a matter of tracking it down. May the light illuminate your path._** >   
< ** _And yours._** > Pearl nodded, moving away. 

Taking out her slate, Pearl examined details of the quest before swapping to the map. “ **Hmm...** **Damel** **Forest is... there. Huh...** **Dracozu** **Lake and** **Dracozu** **River... Well, if it looks like a dragon in the forest, then it probably is.** ” she nodded, setting a beacon on the spot before turning north off the path. 

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As Pearl trudged through the marshy land, it started to rain. “ **Well, at least I won’t need a shower...** ” she sighed.   
After a while, she reached some crumbled stone ruins. Examining the map, she saw that she was close to her target. A scrabbling noise nearby put her on edge, and as she cautiously glanced around some rubble, she spotted a group of Lizalfos. Frowning, she used the camera to examine the area, wincing as she saw several Lizalfos sitting on the top of stone pillars, each armed with a bow. “ **Great...** ” she muttered. “ **How am I going to get past all of them?** ” As the rain slowed and stopped, Pearl looked around the area. “ **Hmm... Maybe... I can climb past them...** ” 

Pearl slipped across the top of the stone ruins, crouching down to avoid the occasional gaze of a Lizalfos. A few tried to fire shock arrows at her, but she easily slipped back out of range and continued on, not willing to waste arrows trying to get their range. Ahead, a giant stone dragon loomed, and past it, she could see the carving of the body and two clawed hands. Pearl knelt and examined the area, plotting out her route. Using the scope, she looked at the Moblin sitting just inside the dragon’s mouth, eyes raising at the sight of the treasure chest a short distance behind it. “ **Hmm, but is it worth** **it?...** ” she mused. Her eyes roamed over the carving. “ **Maybe if I go over the top and come up behind it?** ” 

She cautiously dropped to the ground, peering around the edge of the carving to glare at the Moblin. It crouched with its back to her, making small grunting noises as it nosed a piece of meat that Pearl could smell from this distance. Frowning, she wrinkled her nose in disgust, but kept quiet as she crouched and slowly moved forward.   
As she neared the chest, Pearl examined it. ‘ _I won’t be able to open it without making any noise... I’ll have to take t_ _he Moblin_ _out first..._ ’ she nodded, pulling her sword as silently as possible before creeping forwards a few more steps. ‘ _I just hope it’s worth it..._ ’ 

Pearl held her breath as she crept closer to the beast. When she was within sword’s length, she raised her sword, delivering a vicious strike to its back. The Moblin fell forwards with a grunt, and Pearl moved to give another slash. Suddenly, the beast sprung up, turning rapidly with a giant spiked club in its hands. Pearl raised her shield, glaring at the beast as it raised the club. Pearl darted forward, striking it in the chest. It let out a roar and dropped to its knees, and as Pearl moved back, it fell face-down, dissolving into black smoke.   
With a sigh, Pearl glanced around for further danger. Seeing nothing, she sheathed her sword, turning back towards the chest. Giving it a kick, it didn’t pop open. Kneeling, she pulled two small pieces of thin metal from her bag and set to work, the lock popping open with a small click after only a moment. “ **Glad that I haven’t lost my touch.** ” she grinned, lifting the lid. Her eyes widened, and she somehow grinned wider, almost devilishly, as she lifted out the shining gold rupee. “ **Worth it.** ” she laughed, popping into her rupee pouch. 

As the sun sunk past the mountains, the area became swamped in darkness. A beautiful ethereal light shone from the goddess statue ahead, and after wading through the shallow spring, Pearl stepped up to the base of the statue. Placing her palms together, she hesitantly prayed. < ** _Uhh_** ** _, hey again..._** >   
< ** _… You have done well to find this spring. Offer_** ** _Farosh’s_** ** _scale, received from the golden spirit, to the Spring of Courage. I, Goddess_** ** _Hylia_** ** _, will guide you._** >   
As the statue’s light dimmed, Pearl jaw dropped. “ **T-that’s it?** ” she shook her head in disbelief. “ **All this way, and for what? To find out that I need to come back later? And what the** ** _hell_** **is a** **Farosh’s** **scale?!** ” she growled. Sitting at the base, she pulled out the slate, examining the quest details. “ **...and even the slate doesn’t bloody know... Great...** ” she huffed. Looking up at the starry sky, she sighed. “ **Ugh, I figure it out at some point. I’d better get out of here before the** **Stals** **show up...** ” she stood and selected the Lake Tower, warping away soon after. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Goddess Hylia: “I will help you in your quest.”   
> The Goddess Hylia: *Is not actually helpful at all*   
> Link: “Fuuuu-” 


	15. Rain and Rain Again

As the sun lit up the eastern horizon, Pearl stood and stretched. “ **Ugh, those blood moons are still creepy...** ” she sighed. “ **At least I know there probably won’t be another one for a while...** ”   
Taking out the slate, she warped down to the last shrine, Pumaag Nitae. Following the path through the forest from the day before, she crossed two small bridges, noting the map claiming the area to be the Zonai Ruins. “ **No idea who they were... Must have already disappeared...** ” she shrugged. 

When the path forked, she examined the map, sighing as she saw that she was once again in uncharted territory. Taking note of the tower beacon, she turned to the east, following the path along the river. 

Pearl looked across the river at the towering rock face. “ **Well, if I jump across here...** ” she muttered. “ **I should be able to get up there fairly easily.** ” 

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At the base of the tower, Pearl examined the strange creature dancing around it in mid-air. “ **Electric** **Wizzrobe** **...** ” she whispered. “ **So, there must be other varieties...** ” Looking around the tower, she frowned. “ **Okay, that’s too high for me to climb...** ” she muttered. Frowning, she drew her bow, nocking an arrow. “ **Right, I’ll take the** **Wizzrobe** **out first, then try to figure out how to reach that ledge...** ” 

Pearl tried out the small wand, eyes widening as it shot out a burst of sparks. Shoving it into her bag, she looked up at the tower, craning her neck back. “ **Now, there has to be something around here that I can use...** ” Looking around the area, she found several large thin slabs of slate. Peering underneath one, she spotted a wooden chest, and from another, she felt a large burst of wind pushing against her hand. “ **Let’s see... Maybe...** ”   
Reaching into her bag, she took out one of the small purple bags she had purchased at the Highland Stable. “ **Okay, hope this is as useful as Beedle claimed...** ” she muttered as she attached it to the slab. 

As she watched with wonder, the slab slowly rose up. Pearl shook herself, quickly ducking under and opening the chest. Cautiously, she kept an eye on the slab, and after a moment, the bag popped, the slab dropping heavily to the ground. Pearl nodded and attached another to the next slab. As it rose, a hard gust of wind blew from a crack in the ground, and as the slab moved away, Pearl plucked a nearby leaf and tossed it onto the wind. It rapidly rose up, and veered off to the side, falling slowly.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Right.** ” she pulled out the glider and stood over the crack. Quickly, she rose into the air, but frowning, she saw that it wasn’t high enough. She allowed herself to glide back down and looked around. “ **Okay, maybe there’s another vent...** ” 

She used the same trick to lift some more slabs, finding a variety of mushrooms under one. Sighing, she looked around, spotting one last slab off to the side. Shrugging, she walked over and watched as it lifted up, revealing a fierce gust of wind. Plucking another leaf, it was almost torn from her hand by the stream of wind, rising far above her. Her eyes watched carefully, calculating the distance to the tower and the height of the single set of platforms. Looking around the area, she sighed. “ **Well, it** **_might_ ** **get me there...** ” she muttered. “ **Barely...** ” 

Once again, she stood on the cracked ground and turned to face the tower as she raised the glider.   
Shooting into the air, she soared high above the vent. She leaned forwards, and the glider swooped, starting to lose height almost immediately. She reached the tower and grabbed onto the latticework. Glancing up at the lowest ledge, she sighed with relief. Tucking the glider away one-handed, she started to climb, just managing to reach the ledge. 

Pearl sighed as she activated the tower. “ **Another day, another map...** ” Once the map had downloaded, she stepped to the edge of the tower and looked out with the scope, scanning the view below her. “ **Hmm... Ah, another stable. They all seem to have shrines nearby, so I should check that out.** ” she added a beacon and continued scanning. “ **And there’s a mountain in the way... I’ll have to get to the top of it to see what’s beyond it. I’ll mark that too, for now...** ” Putting the slate away, she unpacked the glider, leaping from the tower. 

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Pearl ran into the building as the bolt of lightning struck the ground outside. Panting and dripping, she looked around, seeing an empty chair nearby. She flopped onto it, pushing her wet hair back with one hand. “ **Stars, that was close...** ” she muttered.   
Looking around, she spotted Beedle sitting at the back, and several other people sitting around. A huge crack of thunder made everyone jump and nervously look around. 

Once she had brought Beedle out of arrows, Pearl sat down, pulling a baked apple from her bag.   
< ** _… happens all of the time. Don’t rightfully know why, though._** >   
Pearl glanced over as the girl in the stablehand’s clothes spoke with the nervous group.   
One of the traveller's spoke. < ** _But, why does lightning strike here so much?_** >   
The girl shrugged. < ** _I wish I knew... I hate it. Every time it rains, I get nervous, because I can’t stand lightning..._** >   
Pearl glanced outside as another bright flash lit up the entranceway. Within a second, the sound of the strike echoed through the small building, and everyone jumped again, the girl now shaking and pale. Quietly, she checked her slate, seeing that not only had the device registered the girl’s request as a new quest, but that the rain was likely to end soon. 

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As the rain finally ended, Pearl saw that she had only a small window of opportunity. Quickly, she moved outside, looking up towards the top of the structure. Nodding to herself at the plan, she moved towards the back before she gripped onto the fabric, climbing up towards the roof. Catching her breath, she examined the horsehead-shaped structure on top of the stable, making careful note of any possible difficult spots. Cautiously, she climbed up, edging around the carved bridle and kneeling on top of the head, gasping for breath.   
Looking around, she saw an axe embedded into the wood, and her eyes widened. “ **Well, that would do it...** ” she muttered. Standing, she gripped the axe handle, pulling back. As it finally came free, she stumbled slightly, swinging it onto her shoulder with a sigh. “ **Guess I should tell her...** ” she frowned, glancing down at the ground below as she bagged the axe. 

As Pearl glided to the ground, she saw more storm clouds start to roll in. Landing, she glanced around, spotting the stablehand tending to the horses, occasionally looking nervously into the sky. < ** _Hey._** >   
< ** _Huh? Hello._** > the girl glanced at her, her eyes moving back to the clouds.   
Pearl reached into her bag and took out the axe. < ** _Just letting you know. I overheard your conversation earlier, and decided to investigate. I found this stuck up there._** > she pointed at the top of the structure, and the girl’s eyes widened. < ** _It’s probably what was attracting so much lightning here._** >   
The girl stared at the axe. < ** _So, if it’s down here now, does that mean..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Lightning strikes shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Well, the_** ** _next_** ** _Blood Moon might put_** ** _another one_** ** _back up there..._** > she sighed and put the axe away. < ** _But now that you know about it, you can have someone go up and bring it down. Give you at least a bit of peace._** >

The girl hugged her suddenly. < ** _Thank you! Oh, I need to reward you somehow... Wait here!_** > she ran off into the stable, and Pearl reached out and patted a horse on the nose. After a moment, the girl returned, holding something strange. < ** _Here. This is made with a really rare ancient material called rubber._** > she held it out, and Pearl took it, inspecting the fish-shaped object. < ** _It’s a helmet that can protect the wearer from electric shocks. I've heard that there are other pieces of the_** ** _armor_** ** _somewhere, and that wearing all three of them grants you total protection from electric shocks, but I don’t know where they are..._** >   
Pearl smiled, putting the helmet on. < ** _Huh,_** ** _surprisingly_** ** _comfy. Thank you. I hope the Blood Moon doesn’t put another axe up there, for your sake._** >   
< ** _I hope so too._** > the girl sighed. 

Pearl moved away from the stable, exploring the immediate area for a shrine. She found a pile of rubble at the base of the cliff behind the stable and took out the slate, using the bomb rune. Placing the square-shaped explosive at the base of the rubble, she retreated back a safe distance and set it off, blasting pieces of rock around. Inside a small cave, she smiled at the sight of the shrine. “ **I** **_knew_ ** **that there had to be one nearby...** ” 

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After leaving the shrine, she returned to the stable before turning east again as night fell. Ahead, Pearl saw a long wooden bridge, the map calling it the Floria Bridge. Crossing, she whistled low at the view of waterfalls and spray, squirrels scampering around. A flash of colour overhead, and she pulled out the slate, using the scope. She faintly recognised Kass, flying overhead, dropping down on top of a cliff. “ **Hmmm... Might be another shrine up there...** ” 

Suddenly, the wind picked up, and she turned, squinting into it. Coming down from one of the falls was a large snake-like creature, and she quickly activated the camera rune. “ **Farosh** **... I need a scale from that thing?!** ” she stared at the green dragon as it came closer. Frowning as she put the slate away, Pearl eyed the creature off, taking note of the orbs of crackling electricity rotating around it. “ **Hmm... can’t get too close... arrows.** ” Grabbing her bow, she nocked an arrow, watching as the creature lifted up, soaring above the bridge. Pearl let the arrow fly, which fell short. “ **Not good enough...** ” she frowned. 

Taking note of the fierce updrafts, she quickly pulled out the glider, holding it up and soaring into the sky. When she was above the dragon, she quickly yanked out her bow, nocked an arrow and let fly.   
Time seemed to slow down as the arrow soared towards the dragon. An orb of electricity shot out towards her, and she grabbed the glider falling beside her, narrowly dodging the orb as she turned back towards the bridge. 

As the dragon continued on its way, Pearl landed on the bridge and sighed. “ **Drat...** ” she stood on the edge of the bridge, watching the dragon soar away. Turning to leave, a glow caught her eye, and she stared down into the water to see a brightly glowing object floating on the surface. Her eyes roamed over the area, looking for dangers. There was an outpost of monsters nearby, but she was confident that she could avoid them. Nodding to herself, she leapt off the bridge, gliding closer to the glowing object. When she was almost on top of it, she took a deep breath and flipped the release lever of the glider, dropping into the water. 

Treading water, Pearl folded up the glider, shoving it into her bag before kicking over to the object. Grabbing it, she found herself holding a large shiny scale, the faint buzz of an electrical charge tingling her fingertips. Bagging it, she started swimming towards the shore, crouching behind a rock out of sight of the outpost as she returned the glider to its usual spot and inspected the scale. “ **Huh. So,** **Farore** **wants one of these offered at her spring? You’d think a** **_literal_ ** **goddess could do her own damned fetch quest...** ” she muttered. Glancing around the rock, she decided to avoid trouble and warped back to the shrine behind the stable. 

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Sighing, Pearl checked the map as the sun rose. “ **Ugh... Well, I really don’t want to go through the swamp full of** **Lizalfos** **again... Hmm... I should be able to reach it from the north...** ” Shrugging, she selected the Dueling Peaks tower. “ **Worth a shot.** ” 

Looking south, Pearl eyed the terrain, comparing it to the map as she did so. “ **Okay, if I aim for that spot there... from there, climb over the** **Popla** **foothills... I should end up at the shrine.** ” After setting a beacon to keep her on track, she sighed as she put the slate away, pulling out the glider.   
As she took a step forward, the radar on her slate started beeping. Pearl paused, putting the glider aside and checking the slate. “ **Huh... Is there another shrine between the peaks?** ” she looked at the nearby mountain pass. “ **Hmm... Okay, the spring can wait. I want to check this out first... Maybe if I climb to the top of this peak, I can see the shrine?** ” 

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Pearl panted as she reached the back of the steep mountain. Looking to the north, she saw another Guardian Stalker, and marked the spot on the map before she turned to the south. Once again, the slate started beeping, and she shrugged before starting her climb to the top. 

As she stood on the summit looking across to the other peak, she saw two things. Firstly, there was a shrine below her. Secondly, there was another one opposite her, far above on the top of the other peak. “ **Wow, two for the price of one, nice.** ” she grinned. She examined the other sheer cliff. “ **I should probably do that one first, and then glide down to this one. Now, how to get over there...** ” 

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Her hand started to cramp painfully, and she felt herself slipping. Pearl made one final desperate lunge, just barely managing to keep a grip on the nearly smooth rock. Gasping, she scrambled up, lying on her back on the cold stone and panting with relief. “ **Never... again...** ” she wheezed.   
After a moment, her breathing slowed down, and she sat up, flexing her sore hands. Looking up, she sighed as she saw the shrine looming above her, and slowly climbed up the short cliff to stand on the platform. After opening the door, she retreated into the warmth of the shrine. 

Pearl found herself in a room with large bowls in the floor, holes in the centre of each to accept an orb. She saw five orbs already in place, their bowls glowing blue whilst the empty ones were orange. “ **Hmm... Okay, what do I do here?** ” she muttered, stepping closer to a stone slab in front of her to examine it. “ **Hmm...** ” < ** _The shrines atop these peaks share a connection..._** > “ **Okay...** ” < ** _Their memory the answer to the others question._** **_Commit to memory before you start, lest, a failure you depart._** > “ **Okay... memory...** **uhh** **...** ” she paced back and forth. “ **The answer to the other’s question... How one looks is the solution to the other!** ” she shouted. Looking around, she saw a small platform rising up and down, acting as a lift. Sprinting, she hopped onto it just in time, and was lifted up to a mesh ledge. Looking down on the orbs, she memorised their positions. “ **Right, got it. Have to be quick...** ” 

Once she was outside, she jumped and rushed, gliding over to the other shrine without delay. Pearl descended the lift on the northern shrine, quickly finding the lift behind her. From the ledge, she memorised the positions of the orbs before gliding down, rearranging them to match the other shrine. As she dropped the last orb into place, she laughed as the door to the altar slide open, running to collect the spirit orb. 

Once outside again, she quickly pulled out the slate and selected the shrine above. As quickly as possible, she descended the lift and started moving orbs, thankful for her superb memory. Once the door slid open, she whooped loudly with excitement. “ **Connected shrines. That’s a new one. Some of these monks were more creative than others.** ” she laughed. 

Pearl warped back to the nearby tower, sighing with relief. Glancing at the time, she nodded. “ **I should still be able to reach the spring again by nightfall...** ” she said, examining the clock . “ **But maybe I should do something with these orbs first...** ” 

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Pearl sighed as she looked down on the small village. “ **Right, at least I know where** **Kakariko’s** **goddess statue is, and I don’t need to climb, glide or do anything to reach it...** ” she muttered.   
Walking down the path, she reached the small statue sitting in the pond. Doing a quick mental count of her spirit orbs, she decided to trade them for one more heart-shaped container and one green stamina. 

Feeling refreshed, she sighed as she walked away from the shrine. She glanced at the nearby artist, who sighed heavily. < ** _Great fairy fountain... I will... find you..._** > he muttered.   
Pearl paused. “ **Fairies?** ” < ** _Uh, excuse me sir?_** >   
He glanced at her. < ** _Hmm? Are you... are you a fellow traveller?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes. I've been wandering around._** >   
< ** _I knew it!_** > he smiled. < ** _As for me, I just_** ** _looove_** ** _art. In fact, I'm travelling the world in search of beautiful landscapes._** > he leaned in closer. < ** _Just between you and me... I hear there’s a great fairy fountain somewhere near this village. I hear it’s breathtakingly beautiful. Aesthetics aside, they also say the place can bestow some kind of mysterious power on people..._** >

Pearl glanced around and leaned in. < ** _Really?_** >   
The artist nodded. < ** _I’ve been researching it for ages, and I finally have a lead. There's a place that is beyond suspicious... The problem is, I can’t seem to find the fountain there._** > he sighed heavily. < ** _Nothing beats the thrill of tracking down a perfect view. As a fellow traveller, you understand the sentiment, right?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _It’s sounds like something that has to be seen to be believed._** >   
< ** _Oh! I knew it!_** > he grinned. < ** _I just KNEW there was someone like me nearby who appreciates true beauty._** > his face fell. < ** _Sadly, I can’t pin down the exact location of the great fairy fountain. I haven’t put it all together yet, but there’s a suspicious place I have my eye on... In fact, I was about to head there now. Would you like to come along?_** >   
She nodded. < ** _Lead the way. I’m Pearl._** >   
He smiled. < ** _Pikango._** >

Pearl followed Pikango as he jogged through the village, heading uphill towards the shrine the entire way. Finally, just past the shrine, he paused, panting with his hands on his knees. < ** _So... tired... Hills aren’t easy for old fogies like me. Sorry, but I don’t think I can go on..._** > he panted. < ** _The great fairy fountain should be... along the path that leads past the shrine. That’s what I've been told anyway..._** > he wheezed. < ** _Yeesh... I'm completely out of breath... That always happens right about here... I think I'd better rest for a bit... You go on ahead... And hey, if you find it... don’t forget to get a picture!_** >   
Pearl nodded, leaving the man behind as he sat, still trying to catch his breath. 

As she moved along the path through the trees, her jaw dropped. Ahead was a large glowing flower bud, and nearby flew four... “ **Fairies...** ” Pearl breathed. “ **I was hoping there’d be some...** ” she grinned. Cautiously, she crouched, moving as slowly as possible so as not to startle the tiny magical creatures. Holding her breath, she waited until one swooped lower and reached out, snatching it out of the sky and shoving it into her bag. Thankful once again for whatever magic stopped things from escaping from the bag as well as making it waterproof, she proceeded to catch each fairy, finally standing with a sigh of relief.   
“ **Right, now, about this fountain...** ”   
Standing on the small ramp leading to the giant bud, she heard a soft voice from within. < ** _Sweet girl... Please... listen to my story..._** >

Pearl looked around nervously. <Uhhh... **_Okay..._** >   
< ** _I am the great fairy_** ** _Cotera_** ** _... This place was once a beautiful spring... But as time passed, fewer and fewer travellers arrived to offer me rupees. As a result, my power has abandoned me. I'm nearly powerless now, so I beg your help. I need rupees to become whole again. All I need is one hundred rupees... Once my power has been restored, I can help you do great things, girl..._** >   
Pearl was startled as a massive hand came out of the bud, reaching towards her palm out.   
< ** _Now... If you have rupees, hand them over to me. Quickly!_** > Cotera urged. < ** _In order for me to regain my power, I need one hundred rupees._** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **Pushy fairy, aren’t you?** ” she reached into her bag and collected two purple rupees. < ** _Here._** > she reached out to drop them nervously into the hand.   
The hand snatched them from the air, retreating back into the bud. < ** _Thank you. You are too kind._** > a soft sighing came from the bud, and Pearl nervously took a step back. < ** _Aah... The power... It’s_** ** _overFLOWING_** ** _!!!_** >

With a burst of strange smelling purple fog, the bug peeled open, revealing a small pool of sparkling water that rippled from the motion of something beneath the surface. Just as Pearl was about to step closer, a giant woman burst out.   
< ** _Ah-HAAAAAAAAAAA!!!_** > Cotera squealed loudly.   
Pearl fell back with a pained grunt. “ **Holy** ** _shit!_** ” 

After a moment, Cotera glanced down, finally resting her chin on her hand. < ** _HAHHHHH..._** > she sighed. < ** _Oh, what a feeling! That first breath of fresh air after an eternity of decay... It’s just so intoxicating!_** >   
Pearl stared, opened mouth. “ **Steven’s gonna love this...** ” she muttered quietly.   
< ** _Thanks to you, I've been returned to my former glory._** > Cotera smiled down at Pearl. < ** _And as they say – one good turn deserves another. I can help you, girl._** >   
Pearl scrambled to her feet. < ** _Umm... How?_** >   
< ** _Allow me to enhance your clothing. It's the least I can do, but I will need the necessary materials..._** >

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As Pearl stepped away from the fountain, she shook her head in disbelief. “ **That was nuts... I should have gotten a picture for Steven...** ” she paused. “ **Oh wait, Pikango wanted one.** ” she glanced back at the fountain. “ **Well, he did say the fountain...** ” she snapped a quick shot of the opened but empty fountain and turned away, walking back towards Kakariko. 

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< ** _Someday, I hope to see that fountain..._** > Pikango sighed.   
Pearl stepped forwards. < ** _Well, it’s your lucky day. I found it._** >   
Pikango stared at her. < ** _Ahhh_** ** _!... You... you found it?! Really?! Are_** ** _you_** ** _serious right now?!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes._** >   
< ** _Did... did you remember to get the picture? You remembered the picture, right?_** >   
Pearl took out the slate and with to the saved images, selecting the newest photo and turning the slate so that the man could see.   
Pikango looked disappointed. < ** _This... is the great fairy fountain? It’s certainly beautiful, but... I thought it’d be more... sacred and elegant._** > he shrugged as Pearl put the slate away. < ** _Well, I'm impressed you found it. I want to give you something to show my appreciation, but I don’t think I have anything on me... I know! Is there_** ** _anyplace_** ** _you’ve been seeking? I’ve been all over, so I should be able to recognise anything._** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _No, not at the moment. But I’ll remember you if I do._** > she glanced up at the night sky and yawned deeply. < ** _Oh... I should head off now. It was_** ** _nice_** ** _meeting you._** >


	16. It's Electrifying!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! I actually managed to post on time this week.  
> Watch as I screw it up next weekend...

After returning to the Dueling Peaks Tower, Pearl set a beacon on the map over the Spring of Courage. She examined the map, examining the contour lines. “ **Hmm... Actually, if I glide down from that shrine at the top of the peak, I can reach it more easily, without having to climb...** ” she nodded. 

Pearl warped to the Shee Vaneer shrine before gliding southwest in the early morning light towards her beacon. 

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As Pearl looked down on the swamp below, she sighed as it started raining heavily. “ **I think that I’m starting to hate the Faron region...** ” she muttered as she squinted through the rain towards the shrine. “ **I’m getting waterlogged...** ”   
Preparing to land before the giant stone carving, she paused. “ **Oh wait... the last blood moon... that** **Moblin** **will be back... Better avoid that area...** ” she veered away, gliding down towards the back of the dark stone dragon just barely visible through the downpour. 

As Pearl landed in the shallow spring, she sighed, looking down at her feet as she folded the glider up. “ **I’d better watch out for trench-foot at this rate...** ” Sighing, she splashed forward, standing on the small platform at the base of the statue. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out the scale. < ** _Okay, one_ ** **_Farosh_ ** **_scale._** > she shrugged, placing it on the feet of the statue. 

After a moment, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, that wasn’t it. Umm...** ” Leaning over to protect the screen from the heavy rain, she checked the slates description of the quest. “. **.. … Eh, I’ll just toss it in.** ” she shrugged. Flicking the scale into the water at her feet, she watched as it sunk in. A burst of bright light shone forth, and a loud grating noise echoed around the spring.   
Pearl nervously looked around the base of the statue, seeing the orange glow of a shrine behind a newly opened door.   
< ** _Your path has shown itself. Now go forth._** >   
She glanced up at the statue. < ** _You’re not helping me much, huh?_** > she sighed, stepping into the water and walking towards the shrine. 

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Pearl found herself outside the shrine. Grinning, she looked at her new spear as it crackled with electricity. Glancing at the statue, she shrugged. < ** _Okay, I take it back. An easy shrine, and a cool spear? Very helpful._** > She put it away and check the slate under the shelter of the shrine’s cave. “ **Hmmm... Almost nighttime** **.** **Let’s see...** ” she examined the map, scrolling around. “ **Hmm... There’s the cliff that Kass landed on... If I go south from... there, I can look around Mount Floria. See what Kass is up to. Check out that area, see if there’s any shrines. If not, I can just glide down to the stable and travel on.** ” Nodding to herself, she warped away. 

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As the sun rose higher in the sky, Pearl looked down from Hateno Tower. Pulling out the glider, she soared south-west, landing at the foot of the cliffs. She scrambled up, pausing briefly when the Moblin in the small copse of trees below grunted. Pulling herself up, she started walking along the top of the ridgeline. 

South of Mount Rozudo, her eyes widened at the sight of a faintly steaming pool of water. Crouching down, she dipped a finger, finding with surprise that the water was quite hot. “ **Huh... didn’t expect to find a hot spring here...** ” Standing, she looked back towards Hateno Village. “ **I’ll have to find a way to bring them here safely at some point...** ”   
Looking up at the mountain above her, she sighed. “ **But, that’s a problem for tomorrow.** ” 

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Pearl paused on the ledge, taking out her slate. “ **Okay, getting closer...** ” she sighed, looked at the icon for her current location and the distant beacon on her map marking the top of Mount Floria. Her eyes caught the weather marker and she groaned loudly. “ **Oh, not more rain...** ” she huffed.   
However, as she reached the top of Bremen Peak and paused again, she noted with relief that the rain was no longer forecast. 

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Shortly after midday, Pearl reached the top of Mount Floria. Using the scope, she spotted Kass sitting near a stone pillar, playing his now familiar music. Smiling, she examined the area below for any threats, taking note of a strange-looking mound not far from Kass. Shrugging, she put the scope away and pulled out the glider, soaring down. 

As Pearl glided over the tall island in the lake below, the sky opened up, and rain suddenly pelted down. She felt the crackle of electricity in the sword and shield on her back, and her eyes widened. “ **Shit!** ” Looking around, she quickly dropped down, landing on the island. Rapidly, she put all of her metal away into her bag, sighing with relief as the sparking stopped as quickly as it started. Glancing up into the sky with a frown, she glided from the island, landing not far from the travelling bard. 

Kass turned to look at her. < ** _Very impressive. Not many could make it up here in such rain. I'd expect no less from a well-worn traveller like yourself._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _And you?_** >   
Kass chuckled. < ** _Me? I stay nice and dry. My feathers repel the rain rather well. And my instrument was designed to withstand extreme moisture. When your livelihood revolves around ancient songs, you’ve got to be prepared for a few raindrops._** >   
< ** _That’s fair._** > Pearl gave a laugh.   
Kass looked around. < ** _I know a song about this place._** >   
< ** _I thought that you would._** > Pearl smiled. < ** _I’d love to hear it._** >

Kass started playing.   
< ** _When a lost hero calls down lightning from the sky,_**   
**_The monk responds from a giant mound on high._** >   
He stopped playing. < ** _There’s a puzzle in this somewhere, but as far as I can tell, it could apply to a great many things. Anyway, may the light_** ** _shine_** ** _ever on your path._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you._** >

Pearl panted as she stood on the mound, hands slimy from the climb. “ **Now... how to call down lightning... without getting blasted...** ”   
Glancing up at the skies, dark with clouds, she reached into her bag, her hands closing around the axe handle. “ **Okay, drop and run... can’t be that difficult...** ”   
Quickly, she whipped the axe out, dropping it on top of the mound before she leapt off the side towards Kass.   
Behind her, a large bright burning flash of light, and Pearl felt searing pain in her back before everything went dark. 

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< ** _Are you okay, young lady?_** >   
Pearl opened her eyes to see Kass leaning over her, concern in his eyes. < ** _Wha_** ** _..._** > she mumbled.   
Kass looked away. < ** _Lightning struck the mound, and a_** ** _large_** ** _piece of rock hit you. Are you okay?_** > he looked back.   
She blinked, her feet and fingers slowly wriggling in turn. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... I can feel everything, so that’s a really good sign..._** > she sighed. Sitting up, she groaned, reaching around to feel her back, the beginnings of a large bruise making a large patch tender to the touch. < ** _Ouch... Wish I didn’t feel_** **that** ** _though..._** >   
Kass pointed at her face. < ** _And that too, I assume._** >   
Pearl touch her right cheek hesitantly. Her fingers came back smeared with blood, and she blinked rapidly. < ** _Oh... How bad is it?_** >   
He smiled gently. < ** _I am unfamiliar with_** ** _Hylian_** ** _healing... But, it’s unlikely to scar. Provided you get it treated soon._** > he looked away again. < ** _It seems that strike caused a shrine to appear._** >   
Pearl looked around at the faintly glowing orange shrine, flinching as another lightning bolt struck the axe lying discarded a short distance from the entrance. < ** _Huh. That’s good._** > she glanced at Kass. < ** _Those songs of your teacher... Seems he knew what he was singing about. Every song so far has led to a shrine._** >   
Kass looked at her. < ** _Really?_** > he looked curious. < ** _Are you... connected to the lost hero?_** >

Pearl shrugged, wincing from the pain in her back. < ** _Ooof... Shouldn’t have done that... Uh, yeah, kinda. I’m basically... preparing the way, so to speak. So that when he returns, he can take care of Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _without wasting any time trying to figure out all of the puzzles, or how to climb in the rain..._** >   
Kass stood and offered an outstretched wing. < ** _Hmm... Then, I suppose I will see you again, in some other place, and be ready with another of my teacher’s songs._** >   
Pearl nodded, taking his wing and allowing herself to be helped up. < ** _I’m looking forward to it._** > she glanced at the shrine and the axe, still crackling as another bolt struck it. < ** _I’ll... leave the axe here..._** > she sighed. 

Pearl entered the shrine, sighing with relief at the simple layout and the monk’s words that reaching the shrine was the test. She paused, taking out an unused metal shield and leaning it against the wall. She first examined her face, blowing out between her teeth at the blurry but obvious cut across her cheek, and the dark red blood trailing down her face. With a cautious glance back towards the altar, she turned, removing her armor and lifting the back of her shirt. She winced at the blurred reflection of the darkened area of skin on her back. “ **Okay, not to self; don’t play with lightning...** ” she muttered, pulling her shirt back down. With some difficulty, she put her armor back on, storing the shield before walking towards the nearby chest.   
It opened easily at her touch, and her eyes widened. Pulling out the tights, she noted the rubbery feel to them, checking her helmet for the same sensation. “ **Huh. Must be part of the same set, like that girl said. Here's hoping the part about shock protection was right too...** ”   
Pearl collected the orb, relieved that some of her aches and pains faded away with its touch. 

Outside, she sighed with relief at the clear starry sky above. Cautiously, she picked up the slightly-scorched axe, bagging it with a sigh. Checking her slate, she noted with surprise that there were no storms forecast for the foreseeable future. “ **Good... I’m staying away from storms for a while...** ” Looking down, she saw the thin path below, leading to a fork in the road. Using the scope, she saw that each fork led around the mountain, noting that her beacon was still in place. “ **Hmm... Well, hopefully, there’s a path leading to the top...** ” she gently reached back and touched her back, wincing slightly. “ **I doubt that I can climb for a while...** ” 

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With the sun rising into the sky, Pearl walked along the path, chewing on an apple as she made her way uphill. Pausing at a small lake, she used her reflection to wash away the now dried blood from her face, wincing slightly as she touched the cut. Checking the scope, she noted that the area was called Tuft Mountain, and looked up, pausing at the sight of a blue blob. She switched to the camera, checking the Chuchu with a giggle. “ **Okay, I** **_need_ ** **to find a way to get Garnet to say that...** ” she grinned devilishly. Pulling out her bow, she nocked an arrow and pulled it back, wincing from the pain in her back. “ **Okay, that’s not happening...** ” she muttered, putting both away. Instead, she pulled out the Thunderspear, poking the blob as it leapt at her. It crackled and exploded, leaving two small yellow blobs of jelly behind. She picked them up, wincing at both her pain and the slightly slimy feel of them, quickly dropping them into her bag before walking on. 

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As she reached the summit, she gasped in shock. “ **A** **Gerudo** **...** ” she stared at the tall tan-skinned woman standing beside the lake, her dark red hair glowing in the sun. Pearl smiled as she walked over. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Hey..._** >   
The woman looked down at her. < ** _Hello..._** > her eyes took in Pearl’s own orange hair and she smiled. < ** _You are of_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _blood, yes?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, very old blood. I’ve just got a little too much_** ** _Hylian_** ** _in me._** > she shrugged, wincing slightly.   
The taller woman nodded. < ** _I am_** ** _Perda_** ** _._** >   
< ** _Pearl._** > she said nervously. 

Perda nodded, glancing over at the man on the other side of the pond. < ** _I think this is the pond of legend. The pond where one can find their true love... Yet all I see right now is that strange_** ** _voe_** ** _on the other side of the pond. Could I be at the wrong one?_** >   
Pearl glanced over towards the man. < ** _I don’t know... I could go see what he’s doing here?_** >   
Perda nodded gratefully. < ** _Thank you._** >

Pearl walked around the pond, stopping in front of the man. < ** _Hey._** >   
< ** _H-hey! I’m trying to work up the courage to talk to her. Just... Let me, yeah?_** > he pleaded.   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Okay._** >   
He sighed and relaxed slightly. < ** _I’m so glad! Oh, by the way, my name is_** ** _Wabbin_** ** _! I... To be honest, I lost my way earlier._** > he blushed faintly. < ** _I closed my eyes for a minute, and when I opened them, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen was standing before me._** > he gazed across the pond, the blush deepening.   
Pearl rolled her eyes, but stayed silent.   
< ** _At_** ** _first_** ** _I thought I was dreaming... or that she was a ghost or something._** >   
She nodded. < ** _Yeah, that happens._** >

He sighed. < ** _I mean, it’s not every day that you run into a gorgeous woman in the middle of nowhere..._** >   
“ **I should be so lucky...** ” Pearl muttered under her breath.   
< ** _But figment of my imagination or not, it was love at first sight._** > he clenched a fist. < ** _And_** ** _so_** ** _I've decided to gather my courage and go confess my feelings to her!_** >   
Pearl nodded.   
He glanced at her. < ** _I decided long ago that when I meet the girl of my dreams, I'll hand her a blue nightshade and confess my love! If I had a blue nightshade, I’d head straight over to that woman... I mean, imagine her and a blue nightshade... That’d make a beautiful scene. Don't you think?_** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Sure._** > “ **She’d probably prefer something more** **useful** **, but you do you...** ”   
He sighed. < ** _Ah, the smell of it... I can almost imagine it right now. It’s so clear, almost like... it’s..._** > he sniffed. < ** _Wait, do you have some blue nightshade on you right now? Please! You must give me that flower! It couldn’t be more important!_** >

Pearl glanced over at the Gerudo woman. < ** _Uhhh_** ** _... Sure, I guess..._** > Rummaging through her bag, she pulled out the blue flower, and Wabbin eagerly plucked it from her hand.   
< ** _THANK YOU!!!_** > he called happily. < ** _This is so perfect! It's exactly what I needed!_** > he looked across at Perda. < ** _Ooh la la!_** > he sighed. < ** _Ah... I just... Ugh. When I look at her, my legs freeze up. My throat goes dry. I... I can’t do it._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes, patting him gently on the shoulder. < ** _Sure you can._** >   
< ** _Please miss... Could... could you take my gift to her?_** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Uhhh_** ** _..._** > she glanced back and sighed. < ** _Sure..._** >   
He smiled brightly. < ** _Thank you! Here, you should have this back._** > he held out the flower, and she took it. < ** _Oh! And don’t forget to mention it’s a present from ME!_** >

Pearl sighed as she walked back to Perda. “ **Ugh, I can’t believe I'm playing Cupid for this loser...** ” she muttered.   
< ** _Well?_** > Perda asked.   
Pearl sighed. < ** _He’s crazy about you, but is too shy to say anything. He wanted me to give you this._** > she held out the flower, and Perda looked at it.   
< **I see...** **So.** **.. you’re delivering these flowers for that** **voe** **over there?** >   
Pearl gave a quirk of her mouth in lieu of a shrug. < ** _Seems so._** >   
Perda crossed her arms. < ** _… I don’t sense any deceit from you..._** > she took the flower and gave it a quick sniff. < ** _Hmm..._** >

Pearl followed as Perda walked over to the nervous young man. < ** _So_** ** _you’re the one who gave me the flowers!_** >   
Wabbin jumped nervously. < ** _Eek, I'm sorry!!!_** > he squeaked. < ** _Could... could it be that you don’t like blue nightshade?_** >   
Perda stamped her foot. < ** _Why would you say that? This is my favourite kind of flower! How did you know that anyway? Are you a_** ** _Yiga_** ** _spy?!_** >   
< ** _N-no..._** > he nervously stammered. < ** _Th-that's not it! Blue nightshade just happens to be my f_** ** _a_** ** _vourite flower! Long ago, I decided to give my true love this flower..._** >   
Perda gasped. < ** _Your true love..._** ** _So_** ** _this is what they call destiny... You’re the_** ** _voe_** ** _that destiny has chosen for me, then?_** ** _All right! Go ahead and speak your piece!_** >

Wabbin stared at her, confused. < ** _What do you mean?_** >   
Perda glared. < ** _No, that’s not right at all! I'm talking about what a_** ** _voe_** ** _says to a_** ** _vai_** ** _!_** >   
< ** _What do you mean?_** >   
Pearl sighed. ‘ _Wow, he’s hopeless..._ ’   
Perda growled. < _ **Y**_ ** _ou know, something like ‘_** _I like you,_ ** _’ or, ‘_** _Please go out with me!_ ** _’_** >   
Wabbin’s face turned red. < ** _Oh! Uh, sure! Asking so directly, how could I possibly say no?!_** >

Pearl groaned as Perda stared at him.   
< ** _Wh..._** >   
Wabbin turned to Pearl with a smile. < ** _Oh, wow! Did you hear that?! She said she likes me, and she wants to go out!_** >   
Pearl glanced at the still-stunned Perda. “ **Oh boy...** ”   
< ** _This is the first time anyone has ever said they like me, and for it to come from the woman of my dreams..._** > he sighed happily. < ** _This is such an amazing feeling... I'm so glad I was born into this world..._** > he paused to wipe away a tear. < ** _There’s no way I can truly thank you, but please take this as a token of my thanks._** > he reached into his pocket and took out a red rupee, pressing it into Pearls hand.   
Perda seemed to snap out of it, staring at him. < ** _What? That’s it?! That's all you’re willing to offer her for everything she’s done for you?!_** >   
< ** _I... No, of course not!_** > Wabbin stammered. < ** _Here, this is what I meant to give you!_** >   
He reached to the other pocket and pulled out a silver rupee, almost tossing it to Pearl. She caught it with a bemused smile.   
< ** _Much better._** > Perda nodded. < ** _Hey, you!_** > she looked at Pearl. < ** _I guess I owe you too... I hope you have as much luck finding someone as I did... thanks to you!_** >   
Pearl nodded, glancing to the west at the sinking sun. < ** _You’re welcome._** >

Walking away, Pearl climbed to the top of a nearby rocky outcrop and stood there, looking at the view. She noted the shape of the pond and smile, snapping a picture. “ **Steven will** **_def_** ** _i_** ** _n_** ** _ite_** ** _ly_ ** **like that... Garnet too, probably...** ” Looking around, she saw the faint lights of a small village beneath the now familiar orange glow of a shrine. Wiggling her shoulders, she glanced back at the setting sun. “ **Okay, here’s hoping I can hold on that long...** ” she muttered as she prepared the glider. 

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With a pained growled, Pearl dropped down the last few feet, stumbling. Breathing heavily, she carefully reached back and rubbed her back gently, wincing painfully. “ **That... may have been a mistake...** ” she hissed. “ **I... might have to call it a day soon...** ”   
Walking slowly, she entered the shrine at sunset, with barely a glance at the small village below. 


	17. Repairs

Pearl sighed as she arrived in Hateno Village. Turning, she headed towards the wooden bridge, yawning again.   
“ **Pearl!** ”   
She looked up to see Steven running towards her happily. For a moment she smiled, but a twinge from her back made her hold her arms out, stopping the boy before he crushed her with a hug. “ **Steven, wait...** ” she begged.   
Steven looked at her. “ **What’s wrong?** ” he asked.   
Pearl sighed. “ **I took a nasty knock from an explosion a couple of days ago, and the bruise is killing me...** ” she muttered. “ **A hug right now is beyond my capabilities...** ”   
Garnet walked up, touching her right cheek gently. “ **That’s a nasty cut, too.** ”   
Pearl shrugged, wincing slightly. “ **Yeah, I’ve had worse... Let’s go inside...** ” 

As they crossed the bridge, Pearl noticed Bolson and his workers sitting near the fire. “ **Wait...** ” Walking over to them, she sighed. < ** _What was it we agreed on... thirty bundles of wood?_** >   
Bolson nodded. < ** _Yes._** >   
Pearl nodded, reaching into her bag. < ** _Where do you want them?_** >   
Standing up, Bolson grinned. < ** _Here will do, little miss._** >   
Pearl piled thirty bundles of wood in front of him.   
Eagerly, his gaze swept over them, counting them. < ** _All I needed to see. Good-faith wood. You're obviously serious about this, and now I know it. So, as promised, I'll see you this old house for the low price of three thousand rupees. Once you’ve got the money together, come see me._** >

Pearl reached into her bag again, pulling out a bag. < ** _Got them here too._** > she shook it for emphasis.   
Bolson’s jaw dropped. < ** _Seriously?! You aren’t just posturing?_** >   
She shook her head. < ** _No, I have it._** >   
< ** _No way!_** > he sang. < ** _I’ll just take that off your hands._** >   
Pearl counted a small pile of colourful shards into his hands, and Bolson eagerly pocketed them.   
< ** _Thanks for the sweet investment. Spending so much on ANTHING at your age... It’s just so..._** ** _studly_** ** _! There’s a weapon mount in there that never sold... Consider it a housewarming gift. Hope you get some use out of it._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thanks. Uh... I was just wondering... would it be possible to arrange for some beds? I got a little banged up today, and the floor just won’t do it for me tonight..._** >

Bolson looked her over, his eyes taking in the cut on her cheek, the faint smear of blood beneath it and the exhausted look on her face. < ** _Hmm... Yes, we can arrange that. How many do you need?_** > he glanced over at the group.   
Pearl turned, looking them over. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... At least three. Well, either one very large one, or three regular ones. Or two regular, and a larger one for Garnet..._** ** _Eh, whatever’s easier for you. Surprise us._** >   
Bolson nodded. < ** _We'll get to work immediately._** >   
< ** _Thank you._** > Pearl nodded gratefully, turning to enter the house. 

“ **Well, I own this now.** ” she sighed, sitting in the middle of the floor with a sigh.   
Amethyst sat beside her. “ **Cool. Whatever. How'd you get injured?** ”   
Pearl half-smiled. “ **I needed to make a lightning bolt hit a large mound. There was a shrine buried inside it. I didn’t get far enough away in time, and a large chunk of rock apparently hit me in the back... I have no idea how bad the bruise is, but it hurts.** ”   
Amethyst nodded. “ **Turn around. Steven can heal it.** ”   
Pearl glanced at him. “ **Normally, the idea of being touched by saliva would gross me out... But I’ve waded through actual swamps, picked up pieces of monsters, including manky old teeth, and I have to do it again tomorrow. Do your thing.** ” she said, turning and starting to remove her various straps. 

As Amethyst helped her remove the last of her armor, she gently lifted up the hem of Pearl’s shirt.   
The room filled with the sound of barely muffled gasps, and Pearl sighed. “ **Pretty bad, huh?** ”   
“ **If my mother saw that, she’d demand x-rays...** ” Connie whispered.   
Steven leaned forward; hand already slick with healing spit. “ **I’m ready to heal you, Pearl.** ”   
She nodded. “ **Go for** **it,** **buddy.** ” 

As his wet hand came into contact, Pearl shivered briefly with disgust. With a sigh, she felt the tingling begin, spreading rapidly across her back.   
Once it faded, she wriggled her shoulders experimentally. “ **Oh, that’s better already.** ” she sighed, pulling her shirt back down and turning to grin at him. “ **Thanks, Steven.** ”   
He smeared a wet finger across her cheek, and as she winced, she felt the cut being healed.   
“ **That’s better.** ” he said, nodding.   
Pearl reached out. “ **I’m ready for that hug now...** ” 

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As they settled down to eat, Pearl sighed. “ **So.** **.. How did your** **Hylian** **lessons go?** ”   
Connie glanced at Steven with a grin. < ** _Good. We learned some food and animals today._** >   
Pearl’s eyes widened. < ** _Oh really?_** > she smiled.   
Steven smiled widely. < ** _We goat butters always save_** ** _day_** ** _._** >

After a moment, Pearl snorted. “ **Uhh** **, Steven, dear... That... may have been lost in translation a little.** ” she chuckled.   
He looked at her. “ **Oh. What did I say?** ”   
She giggled. “ **Well, it was a little broken up, but... We are goat butters, and we always save the day...** ” she snorted. 

As the group burst into laughter, Steven blushed and chuckled. “ **Whoops...** ”   
Pearl sighed happily. “ **I needed that. Also, I believe the words you were looking for were...** ” < ** _Crystal Gems._** >   
< ** _Crystal Gems... Crystal Gems..._** > He repeated them several times. Connie mouthed them along.   
Pearl glanced at them. “ **Despite the technical difficulties, you’ve both made really good progress in only one day. I'm really pleased. That young man at the research lab seems to know what he’s doing.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah. Simon shows us pictures of things, tells us what the** **Hylian** **word is, how to spell it, and waits until we’re confident in the pronunciation before moving to the next one.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Huh. I though his name was** **Symin** **...** ”   
Connie stared at her. “ **We’ve been saying it wrong?!** ” she glanced at Steven.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Ah, don’t worry about it. They sound nearly the same. And he probably just thinks that it’s an accent, or the fact that you’re still learning the language. I doubt that he’s been insulted by it, or he would have corrected it by now.** ” she sighed and took another bite of the stewed fruit, sighing. “ **Anyway, speaking of pictures... Finish your meals, and I'll show you my travels.** ” 

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“ **And this is from the Floria Bridge, down in Faron. Which by the way, I hate with a vengeance, because it rained almost constantly...** ” she muttered darkly.   
Amethyst chuckled. “ **Pearl, you like the rain. You dance in it, remember?** ”   
Pearl frowned. “ **I’m reconsidering that. It was colder than on Earth, and al** **ways** **started just as I needed to climb anywhere. Which of course, makes everything too slippery to get anywhere... And it lasted for at least two hours every** ** _damned_** **time!** ” she shouted, glaring. Glancing around at their shocked faces, she huffed. “ **Faron sucks. Tomorrow, I'm heading north.** ” she muttered. “ **Anyway, yeah. I took this picture from the bridge.** ” 

She showed them a picture of a large green creature, glowing brightly as it moved down a waterfall.   
Steven’s mouth dropped. “ **Is that a...** ”   
“ **Dragon?!** ” Connie exclaimed. “ **You have dragons?!** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Apparently. They’re new. Its name is** **Farosh** **. I needed to get a scale to open a shrine, so I shot it.** ”   
“ **Pearl!** ” Steven looked scandalised. “ **Don’t hurt the cool dragon!** ”   
Pearl smirked. “ **I’ll shoot e** **very** **dragon** **I see, and you can’t stop me** **.** ” she laughed. “ **Relax, I honestly had to; I needed the scale** **to open a shrine** **, and it was crackling with electricity, so I couldn’t get close enough to ask for it. Besides, it didn’t even seem to realise it had been struck. Farosh didn't even slow down, and just flew away.** ”   
< ** _Knock knock!_** >

They turned to look at the open doorway to see Bolson standing there. < ** _Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but the beds are ready. Where do you want them?_** >   
Pearl nodded and stood, putting the slate away. < ** _Perfect._** ** _Uhh_** ** _... Upstairs, if possible._** >   
They stood back and watched as the three men carrying the beds in sideways through the door, easily hauling them up the short flight of steps to the upper floor. After a moment, they returned, the two men walking out leaving Bolson behind. < ** _Well, I hope they’re comfy. Sleep well._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you._** >   
As Bolson left, they heard him muttering. < ** _So._** ** _.. next job time, baby! What’d I have lined up again?_** > he paused. < ** _Oh yeah, that's what’s next. I was going to send Hudson up_** ** _Akkala_** ** _way to clear some land!_** > he walked out. 

As Steven climbed onto a bed, he laid back with a sigh. “ **Oh, that is comfy...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, the largest bed is Garnet’s, because of her big head.** ” she chuckled.   
Garnet smirked. “ **Because it’s full of coolness.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Whatever you say,** **dorkzilla** **...** ” she waited as the others giggled. “ **Okay, kids, there’s a choice. Either you sleep at opposite ends of that bed, or Steven cuddles with Garnet, and Connie has the bed to herself.** ”   
The two teens glanced at each other, blushed deepening on their faces as Amethyst chuckled.   
“ **Uhhh** **... I’ll stay with Garnet...** ” he quickly said, getting up and shifting to the larger bed, hiding his red face. 

Pearl sat on the edge of the final bed, yawning. “ **Ugh... I’m exhausted... Amethyst? You have to talk me to sleep again... I have another big day tomorrow... or two weeks... whatever, just send me to sleep already...** ”   
Amethyst chuckled, crawling in next to her. “ **One knock-out special, coming right up.** ” 

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**_Earth._ **

As the clock struck ten, Greg sighed as he turned away from the starry sky outside. “ **Okay, now I'm worried.** ” he admitted.   
Priyanka frowned. “ **Where are they, Greg?** ”   
He shrugged. “ **No idea. They don’t tell me much about their missions.** ”   
“ **So, you honestly have no idea when they're coming back, do you?** ” Doug asked.   
Greg sighed and flopped onto the couch. “ **Not a clue. To be fair, it’s really because Rose took me on a mission once. I panicked. Pearl laughed at me.** ” he chuckled. “ **She really didn’t li** **k** **e me much back then. Anyway, Garnet basically said that if they told me every detail about their missions beforehand, I’d just spend the entire time worrying about Steven. To be honest, she’s right.** ” he shrugged. 

“ **So, we just... what? Wait for them?** ” Priyanka glared unhappily.   
Greg made a nervous face. “ **Pretty much, yeah. If they’re not back yet though, maybe they got** **spacenapped** **again...** ”   
“ **Spacenapped** **?!** ” Doug and Priyanka said together.   
Greg looked between them. “ **Yeah, it happens sometimes. More than I like, but I’m powerless to do anything about it. They'll keep the kids safe, though, don’t worry about that.** ” he sighed. “ **When Seven was little, there were times when a giant gem monster would get too close to him. The gems, they’ve all risked their own lives to protect him. Pearl, she got impaled by a spike protecting him when he was three. Steven almost got eaten by a giant crab when he was four, but Garnet threw him to Pearl and got** **cut** **in half herself.** ” 

“ **And Amethyst...** ” he sighed deeply. “ **Almost got shattered protecting him when a drunk driver smashed into the van when Steven was two. I only remember... rolling a lot, the world going crazy, and hearing Steven scream** **ing** **in terror. It was only because Pearl had a stash of healing water from Rose’s fountain in her gem that I survived... Steven didn’t have a scratch on him. Amethyst protected him with the only thing she had. Her own body.** ”   
The pair stared at him. “ **Wow...** ” Doug breathed.   
Greg shrugged. “ **So yeah, trust me when I say that they will happily throw themselves gem-first into danger, just to protect those kids. All we can do is wait for them to come back, and hear about their adventures.** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just throwing in my own little headcanon about how protective the Gems were about tiny little baby Steven.  
> After all, if Pearl once canonically threw a jungle gym at a babysitter they thought had kidnapped Steven, it stands to reason that they'd put themselves in danger to protect him as well.  
> And Pearl is the self-sacrificing sort.
> 
> Okay, as this is the end of another 'day' in the story, I'll hold off on starting day 3 until next week.  
> So you only get this one chapter this time. Sorry.


	18. Day 3- *whispers* Giant Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I wanna do...

_Day 3 Earth time..._

**Days in Hyrule... 45...**

Steven slowly walked towards the group, yawning and scratching his belly.   
As he approached the campfire and sat down, Pearl paused in stirring the pot and yawned widely, one hand sleepily coming up to cover her mouth. “ **Mmmmm** **...** ” she sighed. “ **Almost ready...** ” she murmured, her eyes only half open.   
“ **Looks like you’re almost ready to go back to bed...** ” Amethyst grinned.   
Pearl groaned. “ **Ugh, don’t tempt me...** ” she picked up a bowl and started spooning rice into it. 

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“ **So, where you planning on going today?** ” Connie asked as they washed the bowls out.   
Pearl took out the slate. “ **Hmm... North of** **Kakariko** **. I’m going to try and open up the northern parts of the map. As much as possible, anyway.** ” she shrugged, putting the device away. “ **Oh! That reminds me...** ” she glanced at Steven. “ **Want to see a giant woman?** ”   
Steven’s eyes lit up. “ **Opal?** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Sadly, no. Turns out, there’s a really special place close to** **Kakariko** **Village. A great fairy** **fountain** **. I found four more fairies there yesterday before coming back, so that was a relief. But the great fairy herself was there, and wow... giant woman indeed.** ” she chuckled. “ **I couldn’t get a photo of her; I was too shocked to even think about the camera until after... But I can take you there, and you can see her for yourself.** ”   
Steven nodded enthusiastically. “ **Yeah!** ” 

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As they stepped off the shrine platform, Amethyst nudged Steven. “ **So, what’s with you and giant women anyways?** ”   
Steven shrugged. “ **They’re cool.** ”   
Pearl moved closer to Garnet. “ **Probably got it from his father.** ” she whispered.   
“ **Hmmm...** ” Garnet nodded. 

With the group standing in front of the giant glowing flower, Pearl stepped forwards onto the ramp. < ** _Uh, hello?_** ** _Cotera_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _Wha-hoooo_** ** _!_** >   
With gasps of shock, they watched as the large woman burst out of the water. Pearl quickly took a step back to avoid a massive hand swinging past.   
Cotera leant her chin on one hand. < ** _Hmm? Ooh, you’ve brought visitors. It’s been a long time since I’ve had visitors._** >   
“ **Giant woman...** ” Steven whispered, his eyes shining.   
Pearl glanced back. “ **Guys, this is** **Cotera** **.** ” < ** _Cotera_** ** _, these are my friends. Steven, Connie, Garnet and Amethyst._** > she pointed at them each in turn. < ** _Steven is a big fan of giant women, and you’re the biggest he’s seen in Hyrule so far._** >

Cotera reached out and picked Steven up, cradling him on her hand. He was barely bigger than the tip of her pinky, and she smiled down at him. < ** _He’s going to be so darn handsome one day._** > she gave him a kiss, placing him gently down beside Pearl. < ** _Come call on me again when you all grown up, little man._** >   
Steven’s entire face was wet, and he still stared, starry-eyed and grinning widely.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. < ** _I think you broke the poor boy..._** > she chuckled.   
The Great Fairy glanced at Pearl. < ** _Yeah, that happens sometimes with the young ones. So, need anything upgraded?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Sorry, no. Steven just really wanted to see you._** >   
Cotera nodded. < ** _Well, call me when you need me._** ** _Byyyeeeee_** ** _!_** > she dropped down into the fountain’s water, disappearing from view as the surface rippled. 

Pearl sighed and reached into her bag, pulling out a scrap of cloth. Gently, she started to wipe Stevens face. “ **You okay there?** ”   
Steven nodded slowly. “ **I love Hyrule...** ” he whispered.   
Pearl glanced back at the group. “ **Wait until he realises that she kissed him. Then he’ll probably pass out...** ”   
“ **Probably.** ” Garnet chuckled.   
“ **She’s** **kinda** **... flirty...** ” Connie muttered, a small frown on her face.   
Pearl gently pushed Steven back down the ramp towards them. “ **Ye** **s** **, I noticed. She even blew** ** _me_** **a kiss yesterday, when she was upgrading my clothing.** **So** **she isn’t exactly fussy either.** ”   
Amethyst glared briefly at the fountain. “ **Do I** **gotta** **fight for** **ya** **?** ”   
As Garnet picked Steven up, Pearl waved them down the path towards Kakariko. “ **No. I've had quite enough of big flirty weirdos for several lifetimes.** ” she muttered as they walked towards the shrine. 

Passing by the chicken coop, Connie glanced up at the still stunned boy in Garnet’s arms. “ **Is he going to stay like that all day?** ”   
Pearl waved a hand in front of his face. “ **I think he’s overloaded on giant women.** **To be fair, he is a teenaged boy...** ”   
she frowned slightly. “ **Although, I still think that he got it from his father...** ” she added in a mutter.   
Amethyst pointed at the pond near the small goddess statue. “ **Well, we could toss him in there. That’ll snap him** **outta** **it pretty quick.** ” she smirked.   
Pearl looked at Steven. “ **Hmmm... Show of hands. Soak him?** ”   
As the group raised their hands, Garnet shuffled Steven onto one side and gave a thumbs up.   
“ **Works for me.** ” Pearl shrugged. “ **Garnet** **, let’s c** **ool him off.** ” 

Steven spluttered and gasped, pulling himself back onto dry land. “ **Wh** **-what happened?!** ”   
“ **We didn’t have any ice, so...** ” Amethyst snorted as Connie leaned on her shoulder, laughing.   
Pearl sighed as Garnet chuckled. “ **You were** ** _completely_** **out of it after meeting** **Cotera** **. We all decided that you needed a cold soak.** ”   
Steven took his shirt off to squeeze the water out. “ **Ohh** **...** ” he blushed. “ **Sorry...** ”   
“ **Don’t worry. I** ** _totally_** **understand.** ” Pearl patted his wet hair fondly. “ **You’d best warm up though.** ” she pulled a sword from her bag, the blade promptly igniting with a magical fire. She poked the small pile of dry sticks nearby, and they burst into flames, crackling merrily as she quickly put the sword back into the bag before its mysterious power recharged. 

As the group gathered around the small campfire, Pearl examined her bag. “ **Well, I should get back to saving the world and everything. So** **once you’re ready, I’ll take you back to** **Hateno** **.** ”   
Amethyst shrugged. “ **I** **dunno** **. Maybe we could stay here today instead? I mean, if you’re going to the north, then it’d be nice to be somewhere we can see any towers light up, track your progress.** ”   
Pearl looked around at them. “ **Anyone else have a problem with that?** ”   
“ **Nope.** ” Garnet said simply.   
Connie shook her head. “ **It’d be nice to have a better look around. We really didn’t get a chance to, the last time we were here.** ”   
“ **What about your lessons with** **Symin** **?** ” Pearl asked.   
Connie blushed. “ **Well, it’s not really that far... And I have a sword... Steven has a shield... Garnet and Amethyst have their axe and club. We could always just... walk back for a couple of days...** ” 

Pearl frowned. “ **Hmm... Not sure I like that idea... Now, I’m not disparaging your combat skills, not at all. It’s just** **... it is** **a couple of days walk from here. And the monsters that I fought when we first travelled to** **Hateno** **have revived due to the Blood Moon. You'd have to make extra sure that everyone stays together, avoid those Decayed Guardians we encountered, stay overnight at the stable and make sure not to stray from the path** ** _at all_** **in order to make it to** **Hateno** **Village before sunset. All whilst being prepared to fight any monsters at any given time with only a short moment of warning. Are you prepared for that?** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yes ma’am. I can handle it.** ”   
Pearl looked the girl in the eyes for a moment. Finally, she smiled. “ **Hmm... Yes, I do believe you can. Okay. Everyone, I’m leaving Connie in charge.** ” 

As Connie blushed deeply, Pearl looked around at them each in turn. “ **You’re probably wondering why, seeing as she’s the youngest. Put simply... You are all using weapons that aren’t your own. They’re unfamiliar to you, and prone to breaking. Connie’s sword is the only one that I trust to be reliable at the moment. Besides that, because they’re not your own weapons, you haven’t gotten the same connection to them are you do your own. You can’t battle using your usual instincts.** ” she pointed at Steven. “ **Steven is the only one whose using anything like his shield, but it’s not a part of him, it’s simply a lump of wood. He can use it with skill, yes, but it’s only with a delay, and without the instinctual speed that we see with his own shield. Connie on the other hand...** ” she looked at her. “ **She has her own sword, I know for a fact that she’s been trained to use it as an extension of her own body, and the sword itself has proven to be quite effective against Hyrule’s various beasts.** ” she looked at Garnet. “ **Besides, I’m guessing that your future vision doesn’t count as magic?** ” 

Garnet paused, then nodded. “ **No... I haven’t seen anything since before we were brought here.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **I thought as much. I didn’t think the goddesses would make it** ** _that_** **easy for me... And your elemental powers are rather localised to your hands.** **So** **unless you’re planning on grabbing a** **Bokoblin** **and burning the poor beast alive, there’s not much you’ll be able to do. Apart from smacking it with your axe.** ” she sighed. “ **So, you all are to listen to Connie, and back her up when needed. Understood?** ” she glared around at them.   
Steven nodded quickly. “ **Yes Pearl.** ”   
“ **Fair enough.** ” Garnet shrugged.   
Amethyst sighed. “ **I guess that all** **sorta** **makes sense... But I’m in charge of cooking.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Deal.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay. Now that’s been sorted out, I really should get going.** ” she stood up and grabbed the slate. “ **Stay safe, avoid trouble as much as possible, and I’ll try to do the same. If you’re not here when I return, I’ll assume that you’ve returned to** **Hateno** **, or are at the stable near the peaks. If you’re not there either, I’ll be coming to look for you, and I** ** _won’t_** **be happy. Steven,** **Cotera** **is a very powerful and ancient being, possibly even older than myself, so try not to annoy her too much. She does like rupees being offered at the spring though, but don’t give her everything. You might need it for emergencies.** ”   
“ **Okay Pearl.** ” Steven blushed. 

Pearl examined the slate for a moment. “ **Hmm... Actually, I think I’ll try gliding from up there.** ” she looked up towards the shrine above the village. “ **Uhh** **... I’ll see you all tonight, okay?** ”   
“ **Have fun.** ” Garnet smiled.   
Pearl waved as she walked up towards the shrine.   
Amethyst sighed and turned to Connie. “ **So, Boss... What next?** ”   
Connie blushed. “ **Umm... We could see if anybody around here needs help? Maybe they’ll even give us something that could be useful to Pearl later.** ” she shrugged. “ **I mean, our** **Hylian** **is still** **kinda** **basic, but we should be able to understand enough to figure out if anybody needs help with anything...** ”   
“ **Sounds good. Maybe we can get some food supplies too. I’ve got some ideas I** **wanna** **try out...** ” Amethyst said as she stood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steven is happy bappy


	19. Shrine After Shrine

Pearl looked through the scope at the view below. Scanning through the darkness, she placed beacons on several landmarks. “ **Okay, that’s three shrines, and a couple of towers.** ” Looking down towards the swamp, she frowned at the large Guardian Stalker below. “ **Ugh, more water, and a murder bot as well... I** **_despise_ ** **those things...** **Uhh** **... Maybe if I glide down from there, I can reach that shrine without being spotted, or getting my feet wet. Activate and clear it, then warp back up to** **Kakariko** **if I need a quick escape. Otherwise, head north, maybe try to reach that tower...** ” she muttered to herself before she nodded, putting the slate away and taking out the glider. 

As she landed at the edge of the island, she cautiously glanced back. The Guardian Stalker was to the south, looking around, and she gave a quick sigh, darting for the shrine before it could turn and spot her. “ **Lucky break there...** ” she muttered as the lift descended. 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl started moving around the island, towards a wooden bridge. In the water nearby, she saw a large creature swimming around, and paused. ‘ _Oh, it’s a_ _Zora... I should avoid them for now..._ ’ she crept across the bridge as the Zora turned away, sighing once she was safely out of their sight. 

Pearl carefully trekked north across the islands, taking a wide path around any enemies. Stepping onto a wooden pathway, she groaned as a heavy downpour began. “ **Oh, come on... Work with me here...** ” Taking up the slate, she squinted through the rain at the weather forecast. “ **Nothing but rain... great...** ” she muttered. “ **Fuck it, I'm out.** ” she turned back to the north-west. “ **I'm still water-logged from yesterday...** ”   
As she crossed onto a large island to the north, the rain suddenly stopped. Pearl glanced up at the sky, the clouds scudding away rapidly. “ **Uh... Okay...** ” she looked back towards the east, seeing the sky thick with clouds and a heavy downpour. “ **Great, magical rain. That’s the** **wors** **t** **kind... Probably something to do with the Divine Beast.** ” she shook her head. “ **I’ll deal with that later. I need a day or two to dry off...** ” 

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Standing at the tip of the northern-most island, Pearl saw a small island ahead in the middle of the river. On it stood a shrine, thick spiky brambles surrounding it. Looking around, she decided to backtrack, wading through the shallower waters of the swamp’s northern end.   
Cautiously skirting to the south to avoid a ruined building that was now an outpost for monsters, she climbed to the top of a nearby outcrop and looked down towards the shrine. Nearby, she saw a stone tower, with a chest sitting on top. Sighing, she glided towards it, timing the release of the glider so that she landed about halfway up. She climbed the rest of the way to the top, kicking the chest open before peering down towards the island. From this distance, she could now see two Lizalfos patrolling the island. “ **Okay, I can deal with that...** ” she nodded, preparing the glider. 

Pearl carefully crept across the sand, sword at the ready as she used her powers to prevent the sand from shifting noisily beneath her feet. As the Lizalfos yawned, she lunged forwards, striking it across the back. Following it up quickly with a second slash, the creature fell, dissipating into black mist. Pearl nodded and quietly walked around the other side of the island, dispatching the second Lizalfos just as quickly. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the thick brambles surrounding the shrine. “ **Hmm... Burning?** ” she switched to her Flamesword and gave the brambles a poke. A wisp of smoke followed, but it quickly blew out. “ **Okay, what else do I have...** ” Rummaging through her bag, she picked out a small bundle of Fire Arrows. “ **Okay, I guess I can try one of these...** ” 

Nocking the arrow, she aimed at a point halfway up and let lose. The arrow struck the brambles, and with a burst of flames, the brambles caught light. Pearl smiled and put the bow away as the brambles burned away from the shrine. “ **That worked.** ” she glanced at the setting sun.   
Once the brambles were cleared, Pearl walked up the small hill, opening the shrine and descending down. 

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Pearl walked along the shallow sandy path leading back to shore, defeating several Lizalfos along the way. Veering away towards the rocky hillside to avoid being seen by the nearby camp, she paused to pour some water out of her boots, sighing heavily before pulling them back on. “ **Okay, I’ll check out that bridge first.** ” she mused, walking towards it. 

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Standing on the bridge, Pearl saw a tower not far to the north. “ **Right, next target.** ” she set a beacon and put the slate away, walking north-west. 

Through the trees, Pearl saw the now familiar shape of the stable and smiled. “ **Neat. I hope Beedle’s here already. I could use some more arrows...** ” she looked around. “ **I should locate the shrine though...** ” Seeing it on the far side of the small lake, she nodded. “ **Right. Arrows first, see if there’s anything interesting here, then clear the shrine.** ” 

As she reached the front of the stable, she paused. “ **Oh!** ” < ** _Hey,_** ** _Hestu_** ** _._** > she said, crossing the path to talk to him.   
< ** _Shalaka!_** > the tree spirit cheered. < ** _So_** ** _we meet again!_** > he sighed sadly. < ** _I want to go home to_** ** _Korok_** ** _Forest, but I’ve lost my way..._** ** _The folks from the stable here say we’re right on the border between the Eldin Region and the Great Hyrule Forest. …_** ** _Shaka_** ** _! That means_** ** _Korok_** ** _Forest must be very near!_** > he wiggled happily. < ** _But as long as I’m here, I may as well rest up._** ** _. Ah, wait a minute..._** > he sniffed the air. < ** _I’d know that smell anywhere... It’s a_** ** _Korok_** ** _seed!_** >   
Pearl nodded and pulled the small box from her bag. < ** _Yep, I’ve found quite a few since_** ** _last_** ** _time._** >   
Hestu nodded happily. < ** _Well, I’d be happy to give you many expansions!_** >

After a few, Hestu paused. < ** _Ohhh_** ** _! I think I remember the way back to_** ** _Korok_** ** _Forest! Maybe I’ll head back now. I bet Grandpa is waiting for me. Thanks for the_** ** _Korok_** ** _seeds! I’m off to_** ** _Korok_** ** _Forest! Come visit me there sometime!_** >   
Pearl watched as Hestu started to waddle north. “ **Oh, but...** ” As he suddenly picked up speed and rushed away, she sighed. “ **Great... I didn’t get a chance to ask about the** **Deku** **Tree or the sword...** ” she looked into her bag. “ **Well, at least now I know where the forest is. I guess I’ll have to track him down to get more upgrades later...** ” 

After buying all of Beedle’s stock of arrows, Pearl left the stable, walking around the edge of the lake. Opening the shrine, she quickly stepped onto the lift. 

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Pearl cautiously examine the tower through the scope in the early morning light. “ **Ooh, that’s not good at all...** ” she muttered. In the thick swamp around the base of the tower, she could see monsters of all kinds. Wizzrobes circled the tower in hopping mid-air steps, Bokoblins and Moblins paced across wooden walkways. Balanced on top of the tower, she could see part of a skull structure. “ **Figures. The tower must have popped up right in the middle of their base.** ” she panned the view over the encampment. “ **No, I’m not even going to try.** ” she sighed. “ **Maybe later... when I have more health and better items...** ” she slipped away between the trees and turned back south. 

Nearing the bridge, Pearl glanced around. “ **Hmm... That path leads directly into the rain, so definitely not. South it is.** ” She crossed the bridge, following the path as it wound first to the west and then to the south.   
Glancing up, she looked at the curiously round structure on the hill above and paused. “ **Huh. What are those?** ” Shrugging, she turned and walked over. “ **Oh, petrified tree stumps... Hollowed out a bit. The forest must have extended out here at some point. Neat.** ” 

With a final slash, she defeated the Fire Wizzrobe, groaning as it dropped its Fire Rod. A noise from the slate caught her attention, and she paused. “ **Oh! There’s a shrine around here.** ” Walking around a little, she searched for the direction. “ **It’s that way.** ” nodding, she put her sword away and followed the beeping.   
Pearl dodged the blast from the Wizzrobe’s Ice Rod. Drawing back her bow, she fired an arrow, nailing it in the face again. Finally, it disappeared in a puff of smoke, the rod falling to the ground. Pearl sighed and diverted her attention to the nearby Ice Chus, taking them each out with a single blow before finally putting her bow away. “ **The monsters around here are relentless...** ” she muttered. Turning, she looked at the field to the west. “ **But,** **I guess this close to the castle, they would be more dangerous...** ” she sighed.   
Opening up the shrine, Pearl stepped onto the lift and waited as it descended. 

Stepping off, Pearl waited for the voice of the monk. “ **Oh** **_great_ ** **, a combat trial...** ” she groaned. Rummaging through her bag, she collected the spear she had left over from the last Guardian Scout, and prepared some back-up weapons. “ **Well, I guess that’ll have to do...** ” she murmured, stepping through the doorway. 

Pearl eyed off the machine as it prepared, a shield on one arm and a sword on the other. It suddenly scurried forwards before sending out a series of small blasts towards her feet. Pearl dodged back, circling around it as it moved towards her. She waited as its sword arm pulled back for a slash. Jumping back, Pearl dodged the strike, darting forward to delivered a series of quick blows. The machine reeled briefly before pulling its shield up, deflecting the blows.   
Pearl frowned. “ **You’re smarter than the others, huh?** ” she muttered as she edged around it. The machine paused, pulling the shield away for another sword strike. Pearl jumped to the left, and started stabbing away. 

As the spear broke, the Guardian Scout put the shield up again. Pearl growled and yanked out the slate. Switching to the Stasis rune, she aimed at the machine and activated it. The Scout froze, and Pearl grinned madly as she pulled out a large two-handed weapon. Wildly, she smashed it into the machine, again and again. As Stasis wore off, the machine was sent flying back, and Pearl panted for breath. “ **Y** **eah,** **ya** **like that? Plenty more where** ** _that_** **came from.** ”   
The machine jumped back and its weapons disappeared. As it dropped into its smaller profile and prepared to fire its weaker laser, Pearl groaned. “ **Right, that’s it.** ” drawing her bow, she aimed an arrow at its eye, nailing it as the laser started to fire. The machine shifted back again; the laser fire interrupted. Pearl darted forwards and smashed the two-handed sword into it again. 

Finally, the machine jumped back and prepared for its main attack. Pearl followed it and continued beating it. “ **Just... fucking...** ** _stop_** **...** ** _working_** **...** ** _already_** **!** ” she screamed. Suddenly, the machine crackled, and she stepped back. With a burst of smoke, the machine exploded, scattering parts around. Pearl panted and grinned. “ **That... was... cathartic...** ” she panted, leaning on the sword.   
After catching her breath, she glanced at her weapon. “ **Well, that’s** **just about** **had it...** ” she mused, eyeing off the large crack running along the blade. “ **Worth it though.** ” Dropping it, she picked up the Guardian Scouts dropped sword and shield.   
Finally, Pearl went and kicked open the chest, finding a Frostspear. Smiling, she added it to the bag before walking up and collecting the Spirit Orb. 

Outside, Pearl looked around briefly for danger. “ **Okay, I was... heading south, right.** ” she nodded.   
Rejoining the path, Pearl continued south, following the river. Ahead, she saw another bridge, with a young woman running back and forth screaming. A Bokoblin seemed to be chasing her, and Pearl picked up the pace, jogging ahead.   
Reaching the bridge, she darted between the woman and the monster. With a couple of quick slashes, the monster fell. Pearl sheathed her sword and glanced back at the woman. < ** _You okay?_** >   
< ** _Yes..._** > she sighed. < ** _Thank you... I should never have left the stable..._** > she groaned. Shakily, she turned and walked away, and Pearl could see a stable to the south. Shrugging, she followed. 

Pearl walked away from Beedle, sighing as she patted the pockets full of new arrows. “ **Right, time to find the next shrine.** ”   
Stepping outside, she looked around the area, finally spotting the shrine behind the stable. Breaking into a light jog, she paused for a moment to look around before opening the door. 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl continued south, following the river. Nearing another bridge, she looked down towards the river, seeing another shrine sitting on a small island. Taking out the glider, she soared towards it against the wind, landing on the thin sandy shore.   
Folding up the glider, Pearl looked around, spotting a woman standing nearby. < ** _Um... Hello?_** >   
The woman turned with a smile. < ** _Look! Aren’t they lovely? I wanted to see how the shrine would look with flowers around it, and it’s wonderful! Please, feel free to take a closer look. Just don’t step on them!_** >   
Pearl looked over the flowers, spotting a narrow path between them. < ** _Yes, very nice..._** > The slate beeped, and she checked it. “ **Hmm... Magda planted flowers all around the ancient shrine. Proceed with care so you don’t damage the flowers.** ” Nodding, Pearl put the slate away. “ **Okay, fair enough...** ” 

Pearl nervously stepped through the maze of flowers. Suddenly, a blue blob oozed up from the ground in front of her. Glancing back at Magda, who was now watching her intently, Pearl sighed and drew her bow. Taking careful aim, she hit the Chuchu, and it exploded, leaving behind two small jelly blobs. Pearl carefully knelt and picked up one, but saw the other was too far away to safely reach. Glancing at the woman, she shrugged and stood, continuing around the narrow paths. She took out another larger Chuchu with the same trick, finally stepping onto the shrine with a sigh of relief. Opening the shrine, she gave the woman a wave before she stepped onto the lift. 

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With a deep sigh of relief, Pearl stepped away from the flowers. Eyeing off the nearby raft, Pearl looked around the small island. Circling around to the south, she saw that the distance to the shore was shorter here, and after a moment, she pulled out the slate. Using the Cryonis ruin, she easily jumped across, landing on the far shore with dry feet and a grin.   
Crossing the nearby bridge, she headed west, spotting yet another shrine ahead, with the lights of a stable just beyond it. With the sun low in the sky, she entered the shrine. 

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Leaving the Riverside Stable, Pearl followed the path west. Reaching a rocky outcrop, she climbed to the top. To the north, she saw the castle. To the south, the wall surrounding the Great Plateau. Between them, she saw the familiar orange glow of a tower. Nodding, she set a beacon and started towards it. 

Nearing the tower, Pearl felt the heat of a red beam strike her forearm. Looking down, she saw the targeting beam of a Guardian, and quickly looked around. She saw the Guardian Stalker scurrying towards her, its eye glowing red.   
Pearl yanked the slate from its holster and jabbed the map screen. “ **Come on...** ” she muttered as the machine moved closer.   
As the Guardian fired, Pearl disappeared in motes of blue light, the laser beam passing through them and blasting the ground behind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	20. Mountain Stroll

Pearl let out a breath of relief, which hung in the air in front of her. Shivering, she put away the slate and reached into her bag, grabbing her Warm Doublet. After throwing it on, she grabbed her Flamesword, basking in its magical heat. “ **Ugh, Guardian Stalkers...** ” she muttered. “ **Hate those things...** ” she sighed. “ **That tower will have to wait too.** ”   
Once she had warmed up, Pearl looked around. “ **Hmm... Okay, I guess I’ll try down there.** ” she looked across the river. 

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As Pearl stood on the broken stone wall surrounding the Great Plateau, she ignored the Bokoblin outpost behind her as she looked out through the light fog below. Faintly, she could spot grassy-topped islands connected by wooden bridges. Between two of the islands was the faint orange glow of a shrine, and Pearl smiled. “ **I can reach that.** ” she said, pulling out the glider. 

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Leaving the shrine behind her, Pearl climbed up the nearby stone pillar. At the top, she paused at the sight of the giant monster, snoring away. Cautiously, she used the slate. ‘ _Blue_ _Hinox_ _... Avoiding that..._ ’ she slowly crept away. 

Nearing the end of the bridge, she stifled a groan. “ **Oh no...** ” she whispered. On the path ahead were three large Moblins pacing around, giant wooden clubs held firmly in their clawed hands. Crouching down, she rummaged through her bag, selecting a small bundle of shock arrows. Nocking one into her bow, she took careful aim and let lose. 

The nearest Moblin shook with electricity, falling to the ground. Behind it, the other two rushed forwards as it burst into smoke. Pearl quickly let a second arrow fly, hitting one in the chest. It dropped the club as it shrieked and shook uncontrollably, then seemed to shake the electricity off. It quickly swept the club back up, and Pearl switched to a plain arrow, seconding it into the beasts' nose. It let out a shriek and fell. The third Moblin jumped over the black smoke and rushed onto the narrow wooden bridge. Pearl drew her sword and rushed forwards, deflecting a blow from the club and slashing away. An upward thrust drove the blade into the beasts' throat, and it stumbled back as Pearl quickly pulled back, dark blood dripping from the sword. The beast gurgled at her, filled with rage, and stumbled forwards, dropping to its knees. 

Pearl breathed a sigh of relief as the Moblin dissipated into smoke. She picked up the various scattered horns and fangs, choosing to grab an over-sized club as well. Looking around, she spotted a distant figure moving slowly along the path, and cautiously moved forwards. “ **Oh, Beedle!** ” she smiled, jogging forwards to meet him. 

< ** _Why, hello!_** > he enthusiastically greeted her. < ** _It seems you’ve been around the block like_** ** _ol_** ** _’ Beedle, eh?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I’m getting there, yes. Got anything interesting today?_** >   
Beedle dropped down his tray. < ** _Why, yes!_** >

Pearl slipped the arrows into her bag and returned her bag of rupees to their pocket. < ** _Thanks. Anything interesting around here?_** >   
Beedle nodded. < ** _Yes! There’s a stable just ahead, around the cliffs. Just follow the path north._** >   
< ** _Thank you._** > Pearl nodded. 

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Pearl looked around the stable. “ **Okay, I know there’s a shrine around here somewhere...** ” she looked towards the hill behind the stable. “ **Up there, most likely.** ” she nodded and set out. 

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As Pearl stepped away from the now blue shrine, she glanced up at the darkening sky. “ **Okay, better get back to the stable before the** **Stals** **wake up...** ” she muttered, jogging forwards. After a short distance, she pulled out the glider and aimed towards the large wooden horsehead. Turning, she gripped onto the nose, scrambling up and putting the glider away. Sitting down, she pulled out an apple and ate it as she watched the stars slowly move across the sky. 

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In the early morning light, Pearl glided down from the top of the stable and followed the path north. Still in sight of the stable, she paused as it started to rain heavily. “ **Ah, come on!** ” she groaned. Turning, she ran back to the stable, shaking and wringing the water out of her clothes before she pulled out the slate. “ **Maybe around... midday? Great... I’ll be here a while...** ” she muttered, putting it away. 

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Pearl examined the poster on the wall. “ **Hmm... Honey Crepe... That’s sounds pretty nice. Let’s see... Milk, eggs, sugar cane, wheat and honey...** ” she snapped a photo with the slate. “ **I have most of that already.** ” A noise behind her startled her slightly, and she glanced back to see people making their way outside. “ **Oh! Finally!** ” 

Pearl followed the path north, reaching the wreck of an old discarded covered wagon. Behind it, she saw a stone bridge, with a crumbling stone wall on top of the small mountain, tendrils of purple ooze nearby. Walking towards on end of the stone bridge, she spotted a smaller wooden bridge not far from a camp of Bokoblins. Cautiously, she slipped past them, heading towards the mountain ahead. 

As she crept around, avoiding the Moblins camped out on the hillside, Pearl spotted a glow from the corner of her eye. “ **A shrine... It’d save some travel time if I ever need to come back here...** ” she whispered, veering towards it. 

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Panting, she reached the top of the small mountain, looking down on the tower below. Taking out the slate, she looked down, examining the surrounding land. Nodding, she pulled out the glider and jumped off, steering towards the tower. 

Ahead, she spotted a glowing blue object and squinted through the cold air against her eyes. With a gasp, she veered away, flicking the glider’s release switch to drop quickly. As she fell towards the ground, she tore out the slate, selecting the map and warping away a few seconds before impact. 

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Pearl sighed as she put the glider away. “ **Damn, it’s surrounded by bloody Guardians...** ” she muttered. “ **That tower is** **_definitely_ ** **out for now. Guess I’ll just follow the path to the west.** ” A glance at the clock on her slate and she sighed. “ **In the morning...** ” she shook her head as she returned to the stable below. “ **At least I learnt that I can warp mid-air in emergencies...** ” 

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Following the path as it twisted north then west, she jogged along the hard-packed ground. Rounding a corner, she spotted a bridge across the river ahead. Crossing it, she continued towards the woods, reaching a fork in the path. “ **Hmm... Where to go...** ” she mused. Looking to the northwest, she saw a tall mountain. “ **Well, if I climb to the top, I can get a better view of the land, place some beacons... Yeah.** ” she nodded, turning towards it. 

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As she started to cross the open plains, Pearl noticed some ruins to her right and paused. “ **Okay, I should probably check that out first...** ” 

Reaching it, Pearl examined the statue of the horse. “ **This... Have I seen this before?** ” Taking out the slate, she flipped to the photos. “ **Yeah... One of those photos was taken here...** ” looking around, she shrugged. “ **Well, I’ll make the spot on the map, just in case it turns out to be important later.** ” 

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As she crossed the open grassy plain, it started to rain lightly. Grumbling, she checked the slate. “ **It’s not even** **_supposed_ ** **to be raining!** ” she yelled. Shaking her head, she groaned and continued on. 

Mercifully, the light shower stopped a short while later, and Pearl sighed with relief. Following a narrow slope up, she started the long climb to the top of the mountain. 

Pearl reached a small flock of crows and paused as they took flight, looking up the boulder strewn path to her right. “ **Okay, looks good so far...** **I should be able to get up there without too much trouble...** ” 

She walked up the slope, occasionally scrambling a short distance. After a while, she glanced at a large pale outcrop above. “ **Hmm... I can pause there, have a quick look around.** ” 

On top of the outcrop, she squinted against the glare of the sun. “ **Oh! There’s a shrine up there! Great, saves me from having to climb up here again.** ” she nodded, jumping down and starting the quick dash up to the shrine in the fading light. 

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Pearl left the shrine, frowning at the flock of crows nearby. “ **Wonder what they’re hanging around here for?** ” she shrugged, glancing around. Moving back towards the rocky outcrop, she looked up the mountain. “ **Right, this does seem to be the easiest path.** ” 

Moving between the two towering walls of rock, she came to a fork in the path. “ **Hmm... left seems to go down... Right goes down as well, but there’s a pink tree to the right... Seems interesting enough.** ” she shrugged, turning to the right. “ **I can always come back here and try the other path. Or start climbing up.** ” 

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Back at the fork, Pearl started down the other path. It circled around, and as she climbed onto a rock, she sighed. “ **Nope, that just puts me above the shrine. Right, time to climb.** ” she nodded, turning towards the rocks above. 

Pearl stood on top of the mountain’s split peak and looked around at the scenery. Taking out the slate, she used the scope. “ **Okay, tower in the middle of a lake, shrine all the way over there, might not be able to reach it today, tower, that’s a possibility... What’s that?** ” she examined the strange flat-topped giant fungi that littered the landscape below. “ **Okay, those are new...** ” she muttered. “ **And that might be a platform for a shrine quest under there... I'll have a look at that later, see if it’s something I can do.** ” 

Looking north towards the nearest tower, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, if I glide down to that bridge... I can just follow the path as close to the tower as possible**.” Nodding, she put the slate away, taking out the glider. 

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As Pearl crossed the bridge, she smiled as she saw Kass again. “ **Ah, there must be another shrine around here. Okay, small detour.** ” 

Climbing up the small rock pillar, Pearl nodded. < ** _Hello Kass._** >   
Kass glanced at her. < ** _Oh! I did not hear you approach. I was lost in this song written by my late teacher. He passed away several years ago, you see... And this was the last song he taught me._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _My condolences._** >   
Kass sighed. < ** _Excuse me. I fear I may have gotten carried away. Nostalgia will do that to a person._** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Trust me, I understand completely. I lost someone myself, all too recently..._** > she sighed. < ** _But,_** ** _I’m recovering. I assume that this song is about this place?_** >   
Kass nodded. < ** _Of course._** >

< ** _When a single arrow threads two rings_**   
**_the shrine will rise like birds on wings._** >   
Kass stopped playing. < ** _Do you think the rings in the song refer to these oddly shaped rocks? And what of the shrine?_** > he shook his head. < ** _There’s a mystery to be uncovered here, that’s for sure. And I get the feeling the truth is beyond my wildest imagination._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I’ll have a look around, see if I can figure it out._** >   
< ** _May the light illuminate your path._** > Kass smiled. 

Pearl wandered around the field, looking through each hole. Finally, in the far west, she found one that was on just the right alignment with another hole. “ **Okay, Phrenic bow for this one, I think...** ” she pulled the bow from her bag, nocking an arrow. Taking careful aim through the stone circle in front of her, she drew back and fired. The arrow flew straight through to the other hole and out of sight. Pearl steadied herself as the ground started to shake, a shrine bursting through the ground. Finally, the shaking subsided, and she sighed, putting away the bow. “ **Well, that was easy enough.** ” she glanced towards the setting sun. “ **And it gives me a place to stay the night.** ” 


	21. Great, Just Great

As Pearl followed the road north, she frowned at the thick storm clouds ahead. “ **Hmm... Looks like another magical storm.** ” A flash of lighting lit the cloud up, and she shook her head. “ **Yeah, I’m** **gonna** **avoid that for now...** ” she sighed and continued towards the tower. 

Passing close to the edge of the canyon, Pearl whistled. “ **Wow... I wonder what caused all of this damage?** ” she looked at the torn-up landscape. A flash of orange caught her eye and she moved a couple of steps to the left. “ **Oh, hey, there’s a shrine down there.** ” Looking back towards the tower, she nodded. “ **Okay, I’ll stick a beacon here for now. Sort out the tower, pop down there for the shrine then return to the tower. Easy as summoning a weapon.** ” she quickly placed the beacon and rejoined the path, the tower looming ahead. 

Nearing the tower, Pearl groaned. “ **Ah,** **shit** **...** ” she muttered. Taking out the slate, she groaned. “ **Yep, Electric** **Wizzrobes** **and Blue** **Lizalfos** **... And a Hyrule Bass, oh the terror...** ” she sighed. “ **Okay, Plan B. Find high ground, glide to the tower.** ” She looked at the rocky outcrop north of the tower. “ **Well, it’s the only spot around, so it’ll have to do...** ” 

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Pearl dashed past the horses, her eyes on the rocky outcrop ahead. With her feet slipping on the wet grass, she darted into the gap between the rocks, panting as the lightning crashed down around her. “ **Great, just great...** ” she muttered as she squeezed under the tiny overhang above for the minimal shelter it provided. 

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As the storm passed, Pearl sighed and climbed to the top of the outcrop. “ **Okay, this will be tricky...** ” she said softly, her eyes darting between her location and the tower far below as she calculated the distance. “ **It’s a shame that I have no control over the wind direction. It'd be nice to have a magical item that could change the wind to my whims.** ” Laughing, she shook her head. “ **But that’s crazy.** ” 

Pearl glided down, grimacing as she lost height quickly, just barely managing to land on the lowest platform. Crouching behind the thin wall, she caught her breath and checked that her Climbing Bandanna was still firmly on her head before she lunged at the latticework, rapidly scurrying up to the next level. A noise from her right, and her eyes widened as the Wizzrobe appeared, reaching its wand back and flicking a bolt of electricity towards her. Pearl quickly jumped towards the lattice again, the spark passing behind her. 

As she reached the next platform, she flinched as another Wizzrobe spotted her. The two started to circle and dance, and she rapidly started climbing. One Wizzrobe attacked, and Pearl leapt up, narrowly avoiding the spark as it passed beneath her feet. The other Wizzrobe sent a burst of electricity her way, and she leapt again, making it onto the platform. Looking up, she sighed at the top of the tower above her. “ **Nearly there...** ” she whispered under her breath. Cautiously, she waited as the two Wizzrobes danced around. Finally, they waved their wands, and Pearl darted for the latticework, avoiding the attacks as she climbed as quickly as she could. As she made one final leap, she glanced down, watching as the Wizzrobes disappeared, their magical marks dropping lower before they reappeared, their interest in her seemingly lost.   
Pearl sighed heavily as she placed the slate into the pedestal. “ **Damn, that was tricky... But at least the** **Lizalfos** **didn't interfere. It would have been much harder if I had to dodge their attacks as well.** ” 

Pearl looked around the landscape, setting a beacon on a shrine glowing orange far to the north. A noise startled her, and she turned to see a man standing on the tower behind her, looking out towards the distant castle.   
< ** _Umm... Hello?_** > Pearl called.   
< ** _Hmm... It’s quite high. If only I was a bird-man..._** >   
Pearl cleared her throat.   
The man jumped. < ** _WAAH!_** ** _Wh_** ** _-where did you come from? Don't scare me like that! How... How did you get up here? Though I suppose you could ask me the same question._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I climbed. With great difficulty. You?_** >   
He smiled. < ** _I have dedicated my life to the study of bird-men! Their flight mechanics fascinate me! Given their weight, it should be physically impossible for them to fly with wings of their size. I just don’t get it!_** >   
< ** _Bird-men?_** > Pearl muttered. < ** _Oh! You mean the Rito. But that still doesn’t explain how you got up here._** >

He sighed. < ** _I was standing on the ground watching the skies, when suddenly this tower erupted beneath my feet! I've been standing up here ever since with no way to get down._** >   
Pearl glanced around nervously. “ **Whoops...** ”   
He smiled. < ** _But my misfortune is a blessing in disguise! You see, this tower is the perfect place to observe bird-men in their natural habitat! Oh, my! Now that you’ve climbed up here, how will you get down without falling? I suppose you’re stuck here too._** >   
Pearl shrugged, tapping the folded glider behind her. < ** _Nope, I have a glider._** >   
His eyes widened. < ** _WHAT?! You can fly?! You can fly like a bird-man?! Is that true? I thought it impossible for a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _to fly like a bird-man._** >

Pearl shook her head. < ** _Well, it’s not really the same thing. I can only glide._** >   
< ** _Ah... It’s more like gliding then? That's still a step in the right direction! If I can analyse your glide distance and trajectory, it may help us understand the science of bird-man flight. Then maybe one day I'll finally realise my dream of becoming a bird!_** >   
As Pearl stared at him, he blushed and coughed nervously. < ** _Umm... Would you mind participating in a short research study? I want to see how far you can glide. You'll be compensated for your time and travel... depending on how far you fly. So how about it?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Sorry,_** ** _kinda_** ** _in the middle of an important quest right now... Hope you get down safely though._** > she stepped back and checked the green beacon on her slate, facing towards it before she took out the glider and prepared it before she leapt off towards the gaping canyon below.   
< ** _WOW!_** > he called out after her.   
Pearl soared over the broken landscape, dodging around a large chunk of rock as she steered towards the glowing shrine. 

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Once she had been warped out of the shrine, Pearl examine her slate. “ **Hmm... Okay, if I go back to the tower, I can then glide north to reach that shrine in the morning. After that, if I don’t spot any more shrines, I can head back... there, and go towards that tower.** ” Nodding, she selected the tower, warping away in motes of light. 

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Pearl leapt from the tower, steering towards the small rocky mountain she had climbed the day before, the shrine visible just beyond it. Landing, she quickly crossed the rocky ground, reaching the shrine after only a short while. 

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Standing on the shrine platform, Pearl looked down towards the stable below. “ **Okay, I’ll pop in there, see if Beedle has any arrows, then I’ll have a look at those ruins down there. Maybe there’s a chest left behind...** ” 

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Leaving the stable, Pearl wandered towards the ruins. Seeing the monster encampment, she paused. “ **Oh. Looks like that’s out...** ” as she turned to leave, her slate beeped, and she paused. “ **And there’s a shrine around here somewhere. Great...** ”   
Cautiously, she wandered around, keeping one eye on the camp as she tried to pinpoint the shrine’s location. “ **Hmm... Somewhere near that wooden tower, by the looks of it...** ” 

As silently as possible, she crept up, slipping onto the wooden ladder and rushing up as quickly as she could.   
At the top, she found a red barrel marked with several skull and crossbones and grinned. “ **Ooh, I like this...** ” she chuckled darkly, looking down at the small camp below.   
Tossing the barrel, she watched as it exploded, scattering the Bokoblins around and setting their wooden weapons on fire. With a huff, she frowned. “ **Drat, it wasn’t enough...** ” she sighed, looking around.   
Ahead on the cliff face, she spotted a pile of rubble and nodded. “ **Possible shrine cave.** ” With a nervous glance at the camp below, she glided across to a small rocky ledge before climbing up to a larger ledge above it. 

Taking her bow, she rummaged through her bag. “ **Okay, I’ll have to use a bomb arrow here... Good thing I found some in that chest a while back...** ” Nocking the sizzling arrow, she quickly let it fly towards the pile of rubble.   
Small pieces of stone scattered and Pearl put the bow away before she leapt and climbed up the rock face towards the newly revealed cave, her slate beeping incessantly the entire time. 

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Standing outside the shrine, Pearl sighed. “ **Glad that was a freebie... Okay, now, back to... Satori Mountain. Maybe I can glide close to those weird fungus things, have a look at that platform.** ” 

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As Pearl soared across the wide canyon below, she squinted. “ **Huh, some sort of structure on top of that...** ”   
Landing short, she wandered towards the largest fungus as the sun set, her ears picking up a familiar tune. “ **Kass must be up there... I’ll have to climb. His song might be connected to this platform...** ” 

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Pearl reached the top of the strange fungus and paused to catch her breath. With a sigh she glanced over, watching Kass playing near the edge of the fungus.   
< ** _Hey Kass._** >   
Kass turned. < ** _Oh? Excuse me. Was that a bit rough on the ears?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Not at all._** >   
Kass smiled. < ** _You’ve done well climbing all the way up here!_** > he glanced around. < ** _I know a song about this place._** >   
< ** _I thought that you might._** > Pearl replied with a grin. < ** _Play away._** >   
< ** _When the moon bleeds and the fiends are reborn_**   
**_The monks will invite you as they have sworn_**   
**_But first you must stand on the pedestal bare_**   
**_With nothing between you and the night air._** >

Pearl groaned. < ** _You’ve have_** **got** ** _to be kidding me..._** > she muttered.   
Kass shrugged. < ** _That was the song my teacher passed down to me._** >   
< ** _Well, I_** ** _aint_** ** _getting naked. I’ll figure out another way._** >   
Kass nodded. < ** _It will have to be soon._** > he pointed towards the east, where the dark red circle slowly rose up. < ** _Because I'm certain that the bleeding moon is a reference to that._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Of course_** ** _,_** ** _it’d be tonight. Okay, thanks Kass._** >   
< ** _Anytime. Until we meet again._** >

Pearl glided down to the pedestal. “ **Right, I’ll ditch the weapons first.** ” she pulled off the shield before unstrapping the sheath, dropping the sword on the ground. “ **Bow too... Right.** ” she stepped onto the glowing orange pedestal and waited. “ **Nope, not enough...** ” She glanced up at the blood moon. “ **Okay, I still have my top on underneath, so off with this...** ” she removed the surprisingly comfortable warm doublet, dropping it with her equipment. “ **Nope, still not good enough...** ” she muttered. Glancing up towards Kass, she frowned. “ **Okay, I’m really glad that I decided to give myself some undershorts with my last regeneration... Good decision Pearl. Five stars.** ” she sighed and stepping off the platform to be underneath the fungus, she started to remove her trousers. “ **Okay, I’m not going any further than this, especially with him up there, so this better be good enough...** ” she muttered as she dropped her clothes beside her sword, bow and shield and stepped back onto the orange glowing platform. 

With a shudder, the platform dimmed and the ground started to crack and shake. Pearl dropped to her knees and watched as the shrine rose out of the ground ahead of her. “ **Okay, that was easy enough.** ” she sighed, reaching for her discarded clothes and items. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	22. Troubles

Pearl stood on the edge of the hill and stared at the large mysterious object slowly drifting across the sky. It seemed to be circling around an oddly shaped stone spire. Pearl pulled out the slate and had a closer look. “ **It’s a giant bird... Must be one of the Divine Beasts... But, how am I supposed to get up there?** ” she frowned. Taking a picture with the camera rune, she put the slate away. “ **There must be some sort of solution... Well, I'll deal with that later.** ” Shaking her head, she glided down to the next rocky outcrop. 

Dropping short, Pearl stifled a swear with a hand quickly slapped over her mouth. ‘ _Damn... a Lynel... and there’s a shrine nearby. Just bloody perfect... Okay, I have to be as quiet as possible... Because I’m not looking to die today._ ’ she quickly turned the slate’s sensor off, sighing with relief as the beeping ceased.   
Cautiously, she went around to the left, pausing every so often to nervously glance up towards the Lynel. Ahead, she spotted the shrine, and with a quick breath of air, she started running towards it.   
As the shrine door open, she breathed a sigh of relief. “ **I might have to call it a day soon... Before I have a heart attack.** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl looked down at the stable below. “ **Who was the moron who decided to put a stable so close to a beast made of murder?!** ” she muttered. Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned the slate’s sensor back on before she glided down. 

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Pearl followed the path towards the distant tower, stone spire and the Divine Beast slowly circling it. She stepped cautiously onto the long wooden bridge, parts of it broken and fallen away. “ **Someone needs to write a letter to the castle, get some repairs done around here...** ” she joked nervously. 

With a sigh of relief, she stepped off the far side of the bridge. “ **Okay, I’m close to a shrine... Must be the one I marked with that beacon...** ” she glanced up towards the stony hills ahead. “ **What is that?** ”   
Taking out the slate, she examined the small flying machine with the slate. “ **Guardian** **Skywatcher** **... Oh no, they can fly too?!** ” she groaned. “ **Ugh, okay, I’ll take a pass on that shrine for now... The tower is... that way.** ” she turned, putting the slate away. 

With a grunt, Pearl pulled herself onto the top of the stony cliff. Panting for breath, she glanced around for danger. On the hill to her left was a series of stone ruins, the shrine visible at the highest point. Pearl glanced back towards the tower. “ **Yeah, screw that. I’ll go to the tower, get the lay of the land before I do anything else.** ” 

Below the tower, she could see piles of mysterious purple ooze. Pearl travelled across the ridge, eyeing the area off.   
With a glance down to check her footing, she paused. “ **What’s... is that? A fairy** **fountain** **?** ” Glancing at the tower, she glided down, landing in front of the giant flower bud. “ **Ha! Yes! More fairies!** ” 

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Pearl rummaged through her rupee bag. “ **Geez, five hundred rupees... Well, at least** **Kaysa** **can upgrade some armor for me... Once I find something worth it, anyway...** ” 

After climbing back up to the top of her current mountain, she glided towards the tower. With a glance towards the Moblin patrolling further up the path, she started to climb up the side of the mountain, reaching a toppled moss-covered stone pillar and using it to scramble higher.   
Catching her breath, she continued to climb, finally finding herself at the base of the tower.   
“ **Wow, what a mess...** ” she muttered, looking around at the large oozing purple and black mass. “ **How am I** **gonna** **get past this?** ”   
Carefully wandering around the mass, she finally spotted a strange glowing yellow eye near a stone pillar that leant. Frowning, she took aim with an arrow, which sunk into the surrounding ooze. 

Looking around, she spotted a smaller pillar. “ **Okay, maybe I can get a better shot from up there...** ” she mused, turning towards it.   
Scrambling up, she once again took aim, but paused. “ **Phrenic bow again, I think...** ” Drawing again, she took careful aim and fired.   
The arrow flew over the ooze and hit the glowing eye, which disappeared into black smoke. After a moment, a large chunk of the ooze also disappeared, and the pillar it had been supporting slowly toppled, crashing against the tower. Pearl swapped the bow out, shouldering her regular bow again and went around, jumping over the remaining ooze and scrambling up the fallen pillar. 

Pearl examined the new section of the map for a moment. Looking around, she took another picture of the Divine Beast as it soared closer, deleting the old one before she switched to the scope. “ **Okay, there’s a shrine there below the spire, and maybe another one beyond that... There’s a stable down there, and a tower over there... Right, that’s a fair few targets... Those two shrines might be close to where the Rito live. Hmm... I’ll see if I can reach that tower first. If I can reach that bridge by gliding...** ” 

She glided north, setting down not far from the narrow wooden bridge. Cautiously she crossed the wooden logs, ever mindful of the long drop below. The wind picked up and she crouched down, holding on until it died down. 

Following the path, Pearl spotted the stable down to her left. “ **Hmm... It is almost sunset... Okay, I’ll stop in there for the night.** ” 

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“ **Huh... Usually there’s a shrine close by.** ” she sighed. “ **But there doesn’t seem to be anything around here. I guess it’s close enough to the one near the spire that it doesn’t need one.** ” she shrugged. 

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Pearl frowned as she examined the outpost. ‘ _Okay, about eight_ _Lizalfos_ _, two of them archers, and a_ _Bokoblin_ _sniper at the top... How am I going to get past them?_ ’ she mumbled as her eyes roamed across the scene. ‘ _Maybe if I climb up there, I can snipe the snipers. Toss some bombs down... Could work..._ ’ 

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Pearl panted as the fairy spun around her. “ **That was close... Thanks...** ” she whispered as the fairy flew away. Kicking open the chest, she collected the contents and glided down to the ground. “ **Right, onwards to the tower.** ” 

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Pearl shivered as she retreated back down the path. “ **F-f-figures...** ” she stammered, teeth chattering. “ **A-** **ll** **t-that, n-nearly d-dying too, and I can’t even g-get near the b-bloody tower yet...** ” she rubbed her hands together as she walked, pausing as the slate started beeping. “ **Well at least there’s a shrine around here somewhere...** ” Walking around, she started trying to pinpoint it. “ **Hmm... Down in the canyon?** ” she shrugged. “ **Well, at least it should be warmer...** ” 

Dropping down to the ledge below, she carefully neared the edge and looked over. “ **Where is... Ah-ha!** ” she grinned. “ **There it is.** ” she readied the glider and free-fell most of the way, allowing the glider to catch her fall as she made a gentle landing. 

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Pearl sighed and examined the map. “ **Hmm... Well, I could swap these orbs for some strength, then go back to that tower... Yeah, I’ll do that.** ” she selected the shrine above Kakariko Village and warped away. 

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Pearl stretched, feeling rejuvenated. “ **Ahhh** **... I think I’ll stay the night here, then warp back to that shrine near the stable where I saw** **Hestu** **.** ” Looking around Kakariko during the night, she saw no sign of anyone familiar. “ **Okay, they must have returned to** **Hateno** **. Hope they’re safe...** ” she sighed. 

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Pearl wandered through the stable, looking north towards the distant tower. “ **Glad I left that beacon on...** ” she mused as she set off in the early morning light. 

Cautiously, Pearl looked over the giant encampment beneath the tower. “ **Hmm...** **Wizzrobes** **,** **Moblins** **,** **Bokoblins** **and** **Lizalfos** **... This is going to be painful...** ” 

Slowly, she walked out from behind the wooden structure, going around the murky swamp. Creating a block of ice, she used it to jump onto the metal block ahead. Pausing, she nocked an arrow and shot the Bokoblin in the head, causing it to fly off the platform into the swamp. Climbing up onto its previous position, she spotted three metal platforms ahead that crackled with electricity. 

Nervously, she stepped forward, watching the Lizalfos as it swam around. The metal crackled as it drew near. ‘ _I’ll have to take that out first..._ ’ Pearl drew her bow again and fired an ice arrow, freezing it in its tracks. She followed up with another, and after four of them, the Lizalfos faded into smoke. The platforms stopped crackling and Pearl nodded, setting her bow back onto her shoulder before jumping across. 

Looking up at the structure above her, Pearl sighed softly. ‘ _I’ll have to climb this... without drawing attention..._ ' Carefully, she made her way up the support struts, heaving herself onto the platform above with a sigh. 

Ahead, she grimaced as she spotted a Moblin standing on the walkway, a large club in hand. Pearl spotted a few red barrels nearby and smirked. Carefully, she took aim with a fire arrow and let it fly. With a burst of fire, the three barrels exploded. The Moblin shrieked and flailed, running off the walkway and dropping down into the swamp. She then fired another arrow at the barrels above, watching as the Bokoblin archer was dispatched. 

Pearl walked across the wooden walkway and started climbing up the support strut, staying out of view of the Fire Wizzrobe circling the tower nearby. Reaching the very top of the wooden tower, she waited until the Wizzrobe was looking away before she leapt and glided across to the tower. Humming softly, she climbed up, pausing once along the way to rest. 

After checking the map, Pearl looked around at the giant skull that sat atop the tower. It blocked most of her view from north to west, and she sighed. “ **I’ll have to get on top of it then.** ” Easily swinging around, she scrambled on top of the skull and paused. “ **Okay, that’s an odd place for a sword...** ” she mused, gripping the hilt of the Royal Claymore. Adding it to her bag, she turned and looked around. “ **Large murky forest with giant pink tree, which is probably important, so I’ll have to go there... Oh!** ” she used the scope and watched as the giant creature moved out of sight behind Death Mountain. She lowered the scope. “ **That’d be another Divine Beast, I'd wager...** ” she mused as she waited for it to come into view again. “ **I should take a picture of that too.** ” 

Pearl looked down at the forest again. “ **I should head down there...** ” she sighed, glancing at the setting sun. “ **But I should be safe up here until morning.** ” 


	23. Fog of Uncertainty

Pearl glided down towards the forest, aiming for the large grey rock below. As she settled onto the ground and folded the glider up, she saw a thick fog rapidly drawing in and shivered. Turning, she quickly walked south, sighing with relief as the fog lifted. “ **Shit, it’s the Lost Woods...** ” she groaned. “ **What if I get lost in there again, and end up on another planet, or even another realm?** ” she sighed. “ **Okay, think rationally about this. It’s fog. It’s water vapour. You can control it, to some extent. And if all else fails... the Master Sword is probably in there somewhere. It wouldn’t be somewhere I couldn’t reach somehow, right?** ” she pulled off her right glove and stared at the faintly glowing triangle on the back of her hand. < ** _You’re connected to_ ** **_Farore_** ** _. If there’s a safe path through the woods this time, glow twice._** >

After a moment, the symbol brightened once, then again. Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, good to know.** ” she looked up at the forest. < ** _I don’t have much of a choice here, huh?_** > Once again, the mysterious symbol glowed twice. Pearl groaned. < ** _Fine..._** > she muttered, pulling her glove back on. < ** _But if I end up lost in another realm, you’d better send my family home safely._** >

Pearl nervously stepped into the woods, the fog gathering around her once again. With a quick sweep of her hand, she tried to shift it, frowning when the fog merely swirled around her hand. “ **Okay, either I can’t control water vapour anymore, or this is magical, and beyond my control.** ” she sighed. Checking the slate, she paled. “ **And it’s affecting the slate... I have no map...** ” 

Following the path through the narrow canyon, Pearl turned a corner and spotted a torch in the distance. Pausing for a moment, she walked towards it, passing under an archway. Watching the sparks, she saw that they flew towards another torch to her right, and she turned towards it nervously. “ **Okay, looks like I'll be guided this time. That's nice...** ” 

She followed the trail of torches until she reached a spot with two of them. Looking around, she frowned. “ **Okay, now what?** ” Looking at the two torches, she saw that they both have sparks flying towards the southwest. “ **That way, I guess...** ” she shrugged, slowly walking forward. 

As the fog grew even thicker, Pearl shuddered and flinched as a strange sensation came over her. Suddenly, she found herself standing in front of the two torches. “ **Wha?! Shit... How am I going to...** ” she groaned. Walking slowly, she followed the sparks again, pausing at a large tree. “ **Okay, turn... right.** ” Cautiously, she walked between the trees, following the narrow path between the grinning bare trees. 

Suddenly, a large rock loomed from the fog, and she paused briefly before skirting around to her right. The slate started beeping and she jump slightly, startled. “ **There’s a shrine nearby... Maybe it means that I'm close?** ” Following the beeping, she went around the rock into another low canyon. 

Pearl sighed with relief as the map returned to her slate. “ **Okay, I must be close now.** ” As she neared a hollow tree log, the fog lifted, and she almost cheered. “ **Thank the stars for that...** ” she muttered. Passing through the log, she saw several Koroks beyond, and a path leading to a stone dais. Drawing near, she smiled at the sight of the sword embedded in the dais, a beam of light shining down on it. As she gazed up, she gasped at the sight of the tree before her, its branches raised high into the sky and the bark giving it the appearance of having a face. “ **The** **Deku** **Tree...** ” Pearl whispered. 

Glancing around nervously, Pearl spotted Hestu off to the right. With a quick look at the giant tree, she moved over. < ** _Hey_** ** _Hestu_** ** _. Glad you made it home safe._** >   
Hestu wiggle happily. < ** _I’ve got to hand it to you – it's not easy to find this place. They don’t call them the Lost Woods for nothing!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, it wasn’t easy, but I found my way._** >   
< ** _Oh right!_** > Hestu grinned. < ** _Shakalo_** ** _... I can expand your stashes._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Great. Here’s the box with the seeds. Just go nuts._** > she said, digging it out of her bag and holding it out. 

Behind him, she saw the familiar orange glow of a shrine, and once she had run out of Korok seeds, she moved over to it.   
Once the lift had dropped down, she looked around the room. “ **Hmm... Okay, torches on the walls, counting up to five... two orbs on each side, with holes to drop them into... Tablet with hint. Okay.** ” she walked up to the tablet. < ** _Look to the stars for guidance. The constellations are the key._** >

Looking ahead, she saw several constellations on the far wall. “ **Hmm, there are multiple copies of the same one... single copy near the orbs... numbered torches... count the constellations!** ” she grinned. “ **Let’s see... five of those... three of those... one of those and... two of those.** ” 

Jumping down, she quickly picked up the four orbs and moved them into their respective holes. As the last one rolled into place, the barred door rose up, clearing the way. Pearl sauntered through, whistling.   
Nearing the altar, she spun in place, walking backwards happily. She paused, staring at the wall. “ **Oh, there’s a second puzzle...** ” she murmured, her eyes glancing at the metal grate nearby, a chest visible through the bars. “ **To reach a chest... Okay. Let's see... four, two, two one.** ” 

Moving back up the stairs, she returned to the orbs, shifting them into new positions. “ **Hope this doesn’t lock the door again...** ” she sighed as she dropped the last one into place.   
Pearl collected the Knight’s Claymore from the chest and resumed whistling as she headed towards the altar. 

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Outside, Pearl sighed, glancing up at the giant tree above. “ **Okay, I'd better get this over with...** ” She walked around to the front of the tree and cleared her throat. < ** _Ahem... The_** ** _Deku_** ** _Tree, I presume?_** >   
The tree gazed out over the forest, silent.   
Pearl glanced around. A korok nearby looked at her before turning, pointing towards the sword embedded in the dais. Pearl sighed. “ **I guess I just take it...** ” 

Pearl stepped onto the dais and with a nervous glance towards the Deku Tree, she grabbed hold of the hilt. Suddenly, her vision went white. 

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< ** _Link... You are our final hope. The fate of Hyrule rests with you._** >   
Pearl gasped as her mind was filled with visions of a young man and woman, of a beast filled with evil, of memories that were not hers. 

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Pearl let go of the sword with a gasp, stepping back.   
Above, a deep voice mumbled. < ** _Huh? Who is that?_** >   
Pearl glanced up, her eyes widening as the tree spoke.   
< ** _Did I doze off again?_** > he mumbled.   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Umm... I guess..._** >   
< ** _Hrm_** ** _...?_** > The tree looked down at her curiously. < ** _Wellwellwell... it’s you. You’ve finally decided to return. Better late than never, I suppose. Although, you are not who I was expecting to come for that sword..._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Yeah, I get that a lot..._** > she paused. < ** _Wait... you... know who I am?_** >

The Deku Tree laughed deeply. < ** _Yes, Pearl_** ** _Dragmire_** ** _of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, daughter of_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _. I remember when you first passed through my forest. I watched as you attempted to find your way through the Lost Woods._** >   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Oh... Um... Hi?_** > she squeaked. < ** _Wait... How_** **old** ** _are you?_** >   
< ** _I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as the_** ** _Deku_** ** _Tree._** >   
Pearl glanced around, her eyes pausing on the sword.   
The Deku Tree noticed. < ** _That is the weapon created by the ancient Goddess. The sword that seals the darkness – that only the chosen knight can wield against the Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** > he paused. < ** _You are not the intended one the sword waits for..._** >

Pearl sighed. < ** _Yeah, he’s still sleeping._** ** _Farore_** ** _decided that Hyrule can’t wait, and brought me back. Apparently, I used this in some other timeline where I didn’t enter the Lost Woods? I don’t even know..._** > she shook her head. < ** _But I do know that I need this. If I can clear as much of the way as possible, then you can return to your regularly scheduled hero, and I can go back to my new home._** >   
The Deku Tree looked down at her. < ** _Hrm... I do not sense dishonesty from you. But I must warn you to take extreme caution. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not..._** >   
Pearl glanced around as two tiny koroks stepped forwards towards a twig sticking from the soil.   
< ** _If you sought to free the sword in any sort of weakened state, you would surely lose your life where you stand..._** >   
One kokok mimed attempting to pull the twig out, finally collapsing backwards as the other seemed to cry.   
Pearl shuddered. < ** _So, the sword could kill me?_** >   
The Deku Tree laughed. < ** _Best of luck, young one..._** >

Pearl glanced around as the koroks moved away from her.   
< ** _The sword cares not for your physical might. It is moved by what lies within. It cuts through bravado and superficial enhancements. Only true strength can draw it from its resting place. The only way to know if you have what it takes... is to try._** >   
Pearl looked around. < ** _I... need time to think about this, prepare myself..._** >   
< ** _Then we shall meet again, young_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** > The tree shifted, and after a moment, seem to freeze in place.   
Pearl grabbed the slate and warped away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pearl has finally found the sword.
> 
> See ya next weekend!


	24. Questions and Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter this weekend.

Pearl took a moment to check in on the sleeping young man. Finding him still out cold, Pearl sighed and went outside, turning towards the Temple of Time. 

She stood nervously in front of the statue. < ** _Okay, now that we’ve gotten the orbs out of the way, I need answers. I need to get the Master Sword, but it might kill me. Apparently, I have wielded it in another timeline, but whatever quality I'm supposed to have... How can I know if I even have it in this timeline?_** >   
After a moment, the statue glowed faintly. < ** _Pearl of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _... The true heroes of each era have had many things in common, more than hair colour and green clothes. They all possessed true inner strength, pure souls and hearts, and quick wits. They were all descendants of the first Hero, The Hero of the Sky, who first wielded the sword that seals the darkness. As are you._** >   
Pearl gasped. < ** _Wait, what?! How is that..._** >   
< ** _Your_** ** _Hylian_** ** _mother carried the blood of the hero, and passed it through to you. You also possess great bravery, strength of will and incredible wisdom. These qualities have not change despite the many years since you last wielded the sword. The sword will accept you, provided you believe that you are strong enough. Do not doubt, or it shall destroy you._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Okay... It’s just the threat of being killed because a sword decides that it doesn’t like me is a little overwhelming._** >

**Hateno** **Village:**

“ **Pearl’s back!** ” Steven called.   
Pearl smiled and walked behind the shrine, walking across the uneven rock surface towards the house. “ **So** **I am.** ” she smirked as she hopped down.   
The young teen immediately latched onto her. “ **How was your day? Where'd you go?** **Didya** **see anything really cool?** **Didya** **bring me anything?** ”   
Pearl chuckled, gently pushing him back. “ **How about I tell you over dinner?** ” 

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Pearl gulped down mouthfuls of fish. “ **Umf** **...** **sho** **goot** **...** ”   
“ **Someone’s hungry...** ” Amethyst laughed.   
Pearl swallowed and panted slightly. “ **Honestly? I** **kinda** **lived on the occasional apple all day... This is the first substantial thing since breakfast.** ”   
“ **Pearl,** **ya** **gotta** **take better care of yourself...** ” Amethyst sighed.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Probably...** ” she smiled, taking another bite. 

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As they washed the bowls, Pearl sighed. “ **I needed that...** ”   
“ **So, back to Steven’s questions...** ” Connie prompted.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Sure. Let’s see... My day was okay. A bit rough in places, but I got through it. I went north of** **Kakariko** **Village, but couldn’t go east due to non-stop rain. I’m fairly certain it has something to do with that Divine Beast.** **So** **I went north for a while, clearing shrines, before turning back south. I had a brief encounter with a Guardian Stalker, but don’t worry, I warped right out of there.** ”   
“ **Good.** ” Garnet nodded.   
“ **Let’s see... I returned to the shrine on top of the mountain up on the Great Plateau. I glided down, found a couple more shrines and a stable. Couldn’t reach the tower north of the plateau though, due to the fact that there were several Guardians nearby. So I went east instead. Finally found a tower that I could climb, although admittedly, it wasn’t easy. Surrounded by** **Wizzrobes** **that fired electricity at me, plus some** **Lizalfos** **. The** **Lizalfos** **ignored me though, thankfully.** ” 

“ **After that, I went north for a little while, found another stable and a couple of shrines. Went back south and west for a bit to cross a canyon. Went north as far as I could go, but it got too cold for me to continue. After swapping some Spirit Orbs for some more strength, I then went back to a previous stable, which was near a tower that I had decided to hold off on challenging, and managed to make my way to the top without too much trouble. After that... I went to the Lost Woods.** ”   
“ **What?!** ” Amethyst gasped. “ **Why the** ** _hell_** **would you go back there?!** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **The Master Sword. I managed to get through the forest of dead trees surrounding the** **Korok** **Forest, and met with the** **Deku** **Tree. He told me about the Master Sword, which he was watching over.** ” she sighed. “ **Um... That’s the good news. The bad news is... Apparently, the sword tests its owner. If it decides that I'm not strong enough... it could kill me.** ” 

The group fell silent. “ **Pearl, you are not touching that sword.** ” Garnet said, folding her arms.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I** **kinda** **have to. Unless hero boy wakes up tomorrow and takes his destiny back... Yeah, I have to.** **But,** **I went back to the Temple of Time and spoke with the Goddess. Or one of them, anyway? No idea.** ” she sighed. “ **Anyway, she told me that... All of the heroes from each era that have fought my father were descendants of the first Hero, the one who first wielded the Master Sword. And... so was my mother. Which means I am too.** ” she shook her head. “ **It’s nuts... I was related to the guy that fought my father too...** ” she groaned. “ **I thought my family was messed up enough to begin with...** ” 

“ **So.** **.. what are you** **gonna** **do?** ” Connie asked quietly.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Probably clear a few more shrines tomorrow, maybe reach a couple more towers? If I feel strong enough after that... I'll head back to the forest and try to claim the sword.** ”   
“ **You’re still** **gonna** **try for it?** ” Steven whispered.   
Pearl nodded. “ **I was told that I can safely wield the sword, but I have to believe that I'm strong enough first. The sword can pick up on doubt somehow... go figure...** ” she laughed softly. “ **Of course, the Goddesses are** **gonna** **have to find a way around the whole pure of heart requirement. Because I'm not exactly pure of anything anymore, and I haven’t been for a veeerrry long time.** ” she rolled her eyes.   
Amethyst burst out laughing as Garnet chuckled and Connie giggled. “ **Don’t** **wanna** **know, Pearl.** ”   
Steven groaned. “ **I really don’t** **wanna** **know...** ” he said, face red. 

Pearl laughed. “ **Anyway, as for the rest of the questions... I saw some pretty cool things. Two of the four Divine Beasts.** ” she took out the slate. “ **Let’s see... Here. I saw this climbing around Death Mountain. Had to wait all night to get a picture of it. Some sort of giant mechanical lizard?** ” she waited as they passed the slate around, looking at the picture in turn. “ **And then... this one. No idea how it stays up there, or how I'm expected to even reach it, but...** ”   
“ **Wow, that’s so cool!** ” Steven exclaimed. “ **Does it flap it’s wings?** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Nope. Like I said, no idea how it stays up.** **But,** **I think I'll take care of that one first.** ”   
“ **Any reason?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, honestly? I think that one is the Rito’s beast. They're the only race I've met who wouldn’t have any idea who I am, or rather... who my father was.** **So** **there shouldn’t be too many problems with getting their co-operation. The** **Zoras** **... I’d rather avoid. They have long memories, and will remember my father’s attempted genocide of their race. The** **Gorons** **for the same reason. He did try to feed them to a dragon...** ” she added with a nervous laugh.   
“ **Pearl.** ” Amethyst sighed. “ **Your dad was freaking nuts,** **ya** **know** **that,** **right?** ” 

Pearl shrugged. “ **Well d** **uh.** **But,** **he wasn’t always like that. It was only after he got the** **Triforce** **of Power that he went like that. Anyway... After the Rito, I’ll make a decision about whether I visit the** **Gorons** **or my people next. But the Zora’s will defin** **i** **tely be last.** ” she yawned. “ **Oh... Okay, today’s starting to hit me...** ”   
“ **We should all go to bed.** ” Garnet said, standing. “ **But Pearl.** ”   
The thin woman looked up at her. “ **Yeah?** ”   
“ **When you do go to attempt to collect the sword... We’re all coming with you. That way, if it rejects you, Steven can try to save you.** ” 

Steven nodded quickly. “ **Yeah, you’re not doing this alone.** ”   
“ **Count me in.** ” Amethyst called.   
Connie nodded. “ **I’m not staying behind.** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Once again, I'm left without a choice in the matter... Fine, I'll come back and get you. You can meet the giant talking tree.** ” she rolled her eyes, walking into the house as they stared wide-eyed behind her.   
“ **Talking** ** _tree_** **?!** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, to give you advance warning: The moving plans are finally going ahead. Covid delayed it...  
> I've already got everything set, and I'll go on the 28th. (Australian time)  
> However, due to stuff... I won't have internet for possibly several weeks as everything gets settled and my mum and brother finish packing and moving. (I'm going first, so they'll actually have room to pack)
> 
> So there'll be a hiatus starting at the end of the month. I'll keep posting regularly until then.
> 
> See ya next weekend!


	25. Day 4- Scrubbed Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn of the fourth day...

_Day 4 Earth time..._

**Days in Hyrule... 71...**

Pearl yawned and leaned against Amethyst’s shoulder; her eyes closed. The smaller gem glanced over with a blush and continued stirring the meal in the pan. “ **Grub’s almost up.** ”   
“ **Don... call... that...** ” Pearl murmured. “ **Gross...** ”   
Amethyst chuckled. “ **Well then...** ” she cleared her throat. “ **Breakfast is served,** **m’lady** **.** ” she said in a nasal but posh accent.   
Pearl chuckled and groaned. “ **Just put it in my stomach... too tired to chew...** ”   
“ **Get in** **mah** **belly!** ” Steven grinned, grabbing his bowl eagerly.   
Garnet chuckled. “ **Pearl, come on. You've got a big day ahead, and you need to eat.** ”   
Pearl sat up, taking the offered bowl from Amethyst. “ **Ugh, don’t remind me... It feels like a school day...** ”   
“ **Have fun, play nice, and if any of the other kids tease you... try not to stab them.** ” Connie managed to hold a serious face for a full five seconds before she joined the others laughter.   
Pearl snorted. “ **My father couldn't stop me from trying. You have no chance.** ” 

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As Garnet collected the bowls, Pearl sighed. “ **That’s better... Welp, back to bed...** ”   
Amethyst pulled her back down. “ **Nah you don’t.** ”   
“ **Lemme** **sleep!** ” Pearl groaned.   
“ **Tchtchtch** **...** ” Amethyst tutted. “ **So lazy...** ”   
Pearl groaned and closed her eyes. “ **Ah, sod off...** **I’ve earned it.** ” she shifted slightly to lean against Amethyst. “ **Actually, stay. You make a good pillow.** ” 

Connie raised an eyebrow. “ **You know, there’s something I’ve noticed recently...** ”   
“ **Yeah?** ” Steven glanced at her as Garnet put the now clean bowls inside.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah...** ” she waited as Garnet sat back down. “ **Pearl’s acting a lot more... casual, than she used to. I mean... Pearl using doesn’t say things like...** **gonna** **,** **wanna** **,** **lemme** **... that** **kinda** **thing.** ”   
The group went quiet and looked at Pearl.   
“ **That’s true.** ” Garnet said quietly.   
Amethyst glanced down. “ **Yeah... She's usually** ** _way_** **more uptight than this. Pearl, what gives?** ”   
Pearl shifted. “ **Goddess put me back the way I was when I left, including organs... I was sixteen. They gave me my teenaged brain back.** ” she groaned. “ **So** **I don’t particularly care about proper grammar and crap like that anymore...** ” she blushed. “ **I’m also been swearing** ** _way_** **more than usual these last couple of days... But it’s not like I do it in front of anyone.** ” she half-shrugged as she sat back up. 

Connie nodded. “ **Yeah, that does actually explain a lot.** ”   
“ **Pearl’s a teenaged dirtbag.** ” Amethyst laughed. “ **Stars, that’s priceless!** ”   
Steven grinned. “ **Pearl’s not much older than me now.** ”   
Pearl groaned. “ **Only physically... Ugh... I’m still thousands of years old, Steven. I've just... been reset, in a way. As a Gem, I had no reason for a brain, it just slowed me down. I got rid of it pretty quick.** **So** **despite all the** ** _thousands_** **of years I spent in your realm, my brain wasn’t around to experience it, so it didn’t grow and develop. And even if I did keep it around, it probably still wouldn’t have changed much, because Gems don’t mature like humans do. Which is why I still look exactly the same as I did when I left Hyrule. Having my brain back means that it’s able to influence my behaviour again. Because it’s hasn't changed since I was just a stupid sixteen-year-old, it’s causing me to act like a sixteen-year-old again.** ” she sighed. “ **So** **any moment now, I'll probably start staring at tits.** ” she looked at Amethyst. “ **Nope, too late.** ” she grinned. 

Garnet and Connie burst out laughing as Steven and Amethyst blushed.   
“ **Pearl!** ” Amethyst groaned, using one hand to cover Pearl’s eyes. “ **You perv!** ”   
Garnet snorted. “ **Bismuth used to call her the ‘** ** _Pearlvert_** **’.** ” she smirked as they all glanced at her, Pearl blushing. “ **Cause** **she never minded getting a face-full of tit.** ”   
Pearl huffed. “ **It’s not my fault that Rose and Bismuth were both huggers. And that they kept forgetting about the height difference. Or that I wasn’t dumb enough to complain about it.** ” she added with a grin.   
Garnet chuckled. “ **That’s fair.** ”   
Pearl stood up. “ ** _I love_** ** _ta_** ** _go_** ** _swimmin_** ** _’ with bow legged_** ** _wimmin_** ** _..._** ” she sang, breaking off to laugh. 

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As Pearl adjusted the final strap, she nodded. “ **Okay, pretty sure I’m ready to go now.** ” she glanced around. “ **S** **o, what are you guys planning to do today?** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **I’m going to try to find somewhere to clean our clothes. And maybe have a bath, or a shower... I'm starting to feel** **kinda** **gross here.** ”   
“ **Yeah, me too...** ” Steven nodded. He paused to sniff his shirt, scrunching up his face. “ **Ugh... I smell bad...** ”   
Amethyst nodded. “ **I could use a wash.** ”   
“ **Me too.** ” Garnet added.   
Pearl paused. “ **There’s something I’m forgetting... Hang on...** ” 

As they waited, Pearl suddenly clapped. “ **That’s it!** ” she looked around. “ **Uh, sorry. I found something the other day. But then I got injured, and was exhausted. Then yesterday, I had the fact that getting the sword was life-threatening, and the revelation that I’m a descendant of some ancient hero... This completely slipped my mind.** ”   
“ **As slippery as your mind is...** ” Garnet smirked.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Cram it. I found a small hot spring. Not too far from here, actually.** ”   
Connie’s eyes shone. “ **Pearl. You’re not going anywhere until you show us where it is.** ”   
Pearl glanced down at her. “ **...That’s fair. Come on then. It's already morning, we should be able to make it by sundown.** ” 

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Pearl lead them outside, and pointed towards the nearest tower. “ **It’s just beyond and to the south of that tower. Umm... Wait.** ” she pulled out the slate and checked the map. “ **Let’s see... We might be able to reach it by walking... that way... set a beacon... Okay, follow me.** ” 

She led them across the flat ridge to the west of the house, sliding down into a narrow gully and up the other side. Pausing to check her map, she nodded and ran across the grassy field, the tower to their right. Pausing, she quickly fought off two Keese and a blue Chu. “ **Remember, don’t try to reach this during the night, or there’ll be** **Stals** **and giant swarms of Keese to deal with...** ” she added.   
Spotting the Moblin on the path nearby, she hesitated. “ **This way...** ” she whispered, pointing to the right.   
The group slowly walked along, going to the right of the small stone tunnel to avoid a Bokoblin. 

Leading them through a narrow pass between the mountain ridges, Pearl turned and ran up the boulder strewn hillside.   
“ **Okay, there’s a bit of climbing here, but it should be too much trouble.** ” she whispered. “ **But remember, there’s a** **Moblin** **down there.** ” she pointed. “ **So** **try to keep quiet.** ”   
Once they could walk normally again, Pearl lead them around the top of the rocky mountain-top towards a grass-covered part of the mountain. The goat ahead of them was suddenly startled, and three large blue blobs jumped from the ground. Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Those are called Chus, by the way. They’re not too much hassle, so even when they come back after the next blood moon, you should be able to easy deal with them.** ”   
Once the Chus were dispatched, Pearl lead them up the side of the small outcrop ahead. “ **There.** ” she pointed. “ **That’s the hot spring.** ” she looked back towards Hateno Village. “ **There are a few monsters along the way, yes, but as long as you avoid the** **Moblins** **, and only come here during the day, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for you. And you have Connie's sword and her training of course.** ” 

The group followed her over and stared at the small steaming pool. Connie tested the water with a finger. “ **God, it’s perfect...** ” she breathed.   
Pearl nodded, reaching into her bag. “ **Okay, there’s something I need to tell you first.** ” she pulled out a handful of strange looking plants. “ **This is, what in my day, we called** **soapmint** **. It creates a lather when wet, and is excellent for cleaning. It can remove stains, without taking away the dye, and was a staple in every** **Hyrulean** **housewife’s home. I managed to find some in my travels, but I kept forgetting why we needed it...** ” she blushed. “ **It’s also usable on skin, and prepared properly, also makes a pretty decent toothpaste** **, with minty fresh breath** **.** ”   
“ **Good, cause my teeth feel gross, and I forgot to bring any toothpaste...** ” Steven sighed.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah, same here.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **Aww, and you brought everything but the sink too...** ”   
“ **To be fair, we didn’t know we’d be stranded this long.** ” 

Pearl nodded. “ **However, I have to warn you. Amethyst... this is mostly for your sake. Don't eat it, swallow the foam or anything. It's great for cleaning, yes, but it’s external use only. People have died being silly with this stuff. You're human now, so this will kill you if you try to eat it.** ”   
Amethyst paled, nodding. “ **Okay... I won’t try it.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Good. I have some time, so I can try to mix up some toothpaste for you** **. Here.** ” she handed them each one of the plants. “ **Steven, Connie, if you have any mugs or cups in your bags, take them out now. Once the paste is ready, we’ll be needing them to rinse and spit.** ”   
The two kids quickly rummage through their bags, Connie pulling out two mugs and Steven bringing out four. They passed them around quickly before returning and grabbing their own toothbrushes.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Okay, fill the mugs up now, or the water will be soapy and dirty. Put them aside out of the way.** ” she shrugged. “ **You may as well jump in fully dressed, get everything clean at once.** ” 

As Garnet settled into the water with a sigh, Amethyst jumped in with a whoop, splashing them.   
Connie held the soapmint in the water, rubbing it gently with her fingers for a moment. “ **Wow... It really foams up...** ”   
Steven rubbed the plant across his chest and under his arms, leaving a trailed of thick soapy bubbles behind. “ **Yeah, it smells good too.** ”   
As the group started to scrub, Pearl sat down on a rock and pulled out a few items. “ **We used to use this stuff all the time, when I was young.** **It** **was pretty much the most effective cleanser we had. I'd glad that it hasn’t gone extinct.** ” she pulled out a bowl and paused, rummaging through her bag for a moment before pulling out a wooden spear. “ **Well, I guess these will do for a mortar and pestle... I would have brought the one from the house, but it’s used to prepared food, and you don’t want any of this stuff getting mixed up with a meal.** ” she started using the handle of the spear to grind the soapmint down in the bowl. “ **I can always toss this bowl, or mark it for** **soapmint** **preparation only.** ” 

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After a while, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay guys, toothpaste is ready. Everyone who didn’t bring a toothbrush, get a bit on your finger. It's just as good; it’s how we did it. Just remember, don’t swallow the foam. Spit it over there or something.** ” she pointed towards the side of the cliff before scooping up a bit of the paste for herself.   
Steven and Connie darted out of the water and grabbed their mugs and toothbrushes. Eagerly, they dabbed a bit of the paste on them and started brushing. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl did the same with their fingers, and the group fell silent for a moment as they brushed and watched the sunset. 

After a few minutes, Steven sighed. “ **That feels much better.** ”   
“ **Dental hygiene** **yo** **.** ” Amethyst nodded as Garnet gave a thumbs up.   
Connie ran her tongue over her teeth. “ **That’s a relief. My parents would** ** _explode_** **if they knew I went three days without brushing...** ”   
Pearl gargled and spat off the cliff, sighing as she washed her finger in the remaining water. “ **I'll try to keep an eye out for more** **soapmint** **. The paste that’s leftover will keep fine for a while, so feel free to use it while I’m gone. But try to put it in a drawer when you get back to the house. It keeps better in the dark.** ”   
“ **You’re not** **gonna** **have a wash?** ” Amethyst called.   
Pearl stood. “ **I’ve been so waterlogged, and I keep getting caught in the rain or having to swim, so I haven’t really had a** ** _chance_** **to get dirty.** **So** **I don’t actually need a wash yet.** ” she shrugged. “ **Anyway, you can get back pretty much the same way we got here. Just watch out for those** **Moblins** **, and you’ll be fine.** ”   
“ **Don’t forget to come back to get us before you try to get that sword.** ” Garnet said.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes, yes, I know...** ” she rolled her eyes as she pulled out the slate. “ **Just get cleaned up, you stinky weirdos, and I’ll try not to die today.** ” she examined the map. “ **Hmm... I might go... there today. Yeah.** ” Glancing up, she smiled. “ **Stay safe guys, and I’ll see you tonight.** ” she gave a quick wave before she vanished in a stream of blue light. 


	26. Guarded

As the sun rose, Pearl stood from her seat at the Woodland Stable’s cooking pot. “ **Right, time to get going.** ” Following the trail south, she soon paused. “ **Hmm... That looks like a path, but it’s not on the map... Well, if it helps me avoid the Zora’s Domain, I’m game to try it.** ” 

Looking ahead, she frowned. “ **A monster outpost up there, and some sort of ruin ahead... Well, maybe the ruins have something interesting.** ” 

After passing through the ruins, Pearl followed the rough trail, glancing at her map. “ **Okay, I’m off the map here... Or what I have of it anyway...** **Uhh** **... That’s the** **Sheh** **Rata shrine, which I’ve already cleared, so...** ” she looked up to the left. “ **That way, I think.** ” 

Pearl looked out over the landscape, taking occasional glances over her shoulder towards the nearby outpost. “ **Uhh... That’s the Zora’s Domain. Looks like a thunderstorm is forecast soon, so avoiding that.** ” Turning, she looked north. “ **Another tower there... Can’t see any shrines at all... Hmm...** ” Looking up the mountain, she shrugged. “ **Death Mountain it is.** ” 

As she looked out towards the distant tower, Pearl turned and stared at the expanse of steamy blue below. “ **Whoa... Those are some** ** _serious_** **hotsprings** **...** ” She glanced at the slate. “ **But, there’s also a shrine this way...** ” Taking out the glider, she shrugged. “ **I’ll check the shrine out first. If it's close enough to the hot springs, I can bring the others here to clean up instead.** ” 

Climbing over the warm rocks, she looked down at the shrine with a sigh. “ **Well, it’s not the easiest to reach... But I can at least clear it.** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, she climbed over the warm rocks again to look down at the water below. “ **I can aim for... that rock.** ” she nodded. 

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Pearl stood on the small rock in the hot springs and nodded. “ **Okay, there’s a tower up there. Sun’s going down though... I should be safe here for the night. Stals probably can’t swim...** ” 

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Pearl hid behind the wreckage of a guardian and peered out. “ **Crap... a Guardian Stalker... Not going that way.** ” she sighed, looking up at the tower above her. “ **Okay, backtrack, and climb.** ” She went down the path a short distance, finding a trail of dark volcanic rock. “ **Looks alright.** ” 

She dodged the giant boulder rolling down. “ **Holy** **shit** **!** ” she panted. “ **That was close...** ” shaking her head, she sighed. “ **But,** **it likely means that this is the way to the tower... Typical.** ” she looked up, wary of more boulders. “ **Okay, I’ll have to ditch this bow, it’s just about had it.** ” she said, dropping the cracked Knight’s bow. “ **Cause there’s a lot** **more hot** **goo coming...** ” Groaning, she started to chuckle. “ **Ugh, I’m glad Amethyst wasn’t here to hear that... I’d never live it down.** ” 

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Pearl breathed a sigh of relief as she finally found the base of the tower. Sweating, she paused to remove her warm doublet before she started to climb. “ **Great idea, Pearl. Climb the active volcano in the warmest thing you currently own. Genius...** ” she shook her head. 

Examining the newest addition to her map, Pearl looked out across the landscape. “ **Hmm..** **Lotta fire, lotta fire... lotta hot springs... Oh! A stable with a shrine. Okay. Well, I don’t want to get too close to** **Goron** **lands just yet... Right, in the morning, I’ll glide down there. Then maybe I’ll try for that tower. It looks like there’s a path leading to it anyway.** ” 

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Pearl landed easily and jogged the rest of the way to the stable. Stopping briefly to buy more arrows, she made the short trek to the shrine on the hill above. 

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As she explored through the stone archway to the north of the stable, she heard the beeping from her slate. “ **Oh. Um, I’ll take out those fire blobs and the** **Lizalfos** **first, then I’ll look for the shrine.** ”   
Once the monsters were dispatched, she examined the slate, turning around until she pinpointed the shrine’s direction. “ **That way. I’ll have to climb up there first, by the looks of it.** ” 

At the top, she ran ahead, climbing up another round stone outcrop. At the top, she frowned. “ **Still no sign of anything except a monster-filled outpost.** ” she checked the slate. “ **Hmm...** **According to the map, there’s a small dead-end canyon down there...** ” Jumping down, she cautiously neared the edge, watching the Bokoblins in the outpost ahead as she glanced down. “ ** _Yes_** **!** ” she whispered, quickly hopping down and using the glider to land safely. 

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Pearl left the shrine and started to scramble over the low boulders to the east, skirting across the north of the lake. Her slate started to beep again, and she paused. “ **Another one? Okay, I guess I’ll look for it at the top.** ”   
She jumped over to another boulder and started to scrabble up the steep rocky cliff, the slate beeping the entire way. 

At the top, Pearl looked to her right and frowned. “ **Great, more flying Guardians... Hopefully there won’t be any around this shrine...** ”   
Following the radar, she neared the edge and peered over. “ **Another stable and shrine!** ” she grinned as she started down the slope nearby. 

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With a groan, she stood on the shrine’s platform. “ **Ugh, that was tricky...** ” she muttered. Looking at the darkening sky, she sighed as she put the doublet back on. “ **Guess I’m staying at the stable here tonight.** ” 

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In the early morning gloom, Pearl looked up at the mountain, the tip of the tower shining far above. “ **Hmmm... It looks climbable... If I go around the back like that, I can hopefully avoid those Guardians...** ” she shrugged. “ **Eh, sounds like a plan.** ” 

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Hauling herself onto the ledge, she paused as the Guardian hovered high above. It stopped for a second, then turned and disappeared from view behind the cliffs. Pearl let out a sigh. “ **I’d best head further left, if I want to avoid that.** ” She glanced down at the pile of boulders nearby. “ **After I find out what’s behind those.** ” 

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Pearl stopped, the stone wall hiding her from the view of the Bokoblin archer waiting above. A quick peek, and she spotted another Skywatcher patrolling behind it. ‘ _Crap_ _... now what?_ ’ Pearl sighed softly. ‘ _Okay, kill the Boko, get up the cliff before the Guardian turns around._ ’ 

Carefully, she waited until the Bokoblin had started down the path before she sprung up and over the wall. Drawing her sword, she rapidly struck it multiple times in quick succession, sending it flying down the stairs. Quickly, she followed it, delivering a final blow.   
Immediately, she turned and darted back up the stairs, jumping at the rock face and starting to climb up just as a Skywatcher came around the corner. It scanned briefly before it turned away, and Pearl let out a sigh. ‘ _Nearly there..._ ’ 

She paused on a ledge with some trees and giant metal crates before continuing. Above, she could see the base of a stationary Guardian just peeking over the edge of the stone wall. Uncertain if it was still active, she veered left. 

As she sheltered and rested behind a piece of stonework, she used Stasis, noting that the decayed Guardian glowed yellow on the screen. ‘ _Still active._ ’ she nodded, slipping away to the left. 

On the other side of the wall, she found a large pile of oozing purple and black sludge. “ **What is this stuff anyway?** ” she whispered, her eyes on the hovering Skywatcher nearby. She looked over the area with Stasis again, taking note of a long object on the screen. ‘ _Better check that out..._ ’ 

Once the Skywatcher had turned around, Pearl slipped past, running up the stairs. Through the rusted portcullis of the citadel, she spotted a large yellow eye. Drawing her bow, she took aim and fired. Some of the ooze disintegrated, and a long slim piece of metal fell. 

Pearl used Magnesis to pick it up, moving it up and over to the floor above. Eagerly, she jumped and clung onto the stonework, climbing up to join the piece of metal. The Bokoblin nearby screeched, and Pearl swiped it with a sword, sending it flying off the stone into the ooze below. The sword broke, and she sighed, flinging the pieces over before grabbing another from her bag. Then she picked the metal slab up and used it to bridge the gap between herself and the tower. Grateful for her sense of balance, she easily walked over and started to climb up the tower proper. 

New map section downloaded, she looked around. “ **Looks like another maze all the way up there... Why would anyone even build these things?** ” putting the slate away, she looked down into the night. “ **Shrine down there... Whoa.** ” she paused, looking at the decayed Guardian sitting on the edge of the tower. “ **Huh. It must have popped up in the middle of the citadel. Damaged the ruins and carried this up here.** ” she grabbed a small screw from its base and moved on, looking for targets through the scope. “ **Hmmm strange curly sandbar... Probably should check that out... Oh, and other stable there. Possibly some sort of structure over there?** ” She set beacons on each spot and sighed. “ **Okay, I’m exhausted... I might take a short break, maybe until tomorrow morning, then I’ll set out for that shrine.** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next wekend!


	27. Going Round the Twist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...have you ever, ever felt like this...  
> -My Aussie brain automatically singing the theme song...

**Days in Hyrule... 77...** **_78..._ **

Pearl stretched in the early morning gloom. “ **Okay, that’s long enough...** ” she muttered. Pulling out the glider, she examined the land below. “ **Okay, I'll aim for... there. That should be easy to reach from here.** ” 

Pearl released the glider and landed near the wooden bridge. A quick check of the water using Magnesis revealed a chest near the bottom of the waterfall, and she quickly ran around to it. “ **Hmm, not close enough...** ” She switched to Cryonis and created an ice pillar, jumping over to it. “ **There we go... Ooh, a silver rupee, nice!** ” she grinned, putting the jewel away. 

After crossing all three bridges, Pearl ran for the large rock to her left as the two Bokoblins on horseback took notice of her. She scrambled up, preparing her bow with an arrow nocked. As quickly as possible, she fired, first knocking one off its horse than the other. A fast volley of arrows, and they both disappeared into black smoke.   
Pearl sighed and jumped down, gliding over to examine the spoils. “ **Oh hey, these bows are pretty strong...** ” she mused, adding them to her collection before turning towards the nearby shrine. 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl looked out at the next shrine in the distance. “ **Hmm... Oh, that’s the stable one. I’ve already got that marked, so...** ” she shrugged, switching to the map screen. “ **Let’s see...** **Okay... Maybe I’ll check out** **Ulria** **Grotto next. Looks like a good spot for a shrine.** ” 

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Pearl checked the slate’s weather feature. “ **Ugh... This must be part of the magical rain from the Zora’s Divine Beast... Well, I still want to check out that grotto...** ” she sighed, putting the slate away. 

With a nod at the beeping slate, she continued on. “ **I knew it.** ” she smiled as she jogged on through the rain. 

Crossing a wide rock bridge, she paused, peering through the downpour. “ **Looks like some boulders... But how... Ah! Bomb Arrows.** ” she nodded, reaching into her bag. “ **Hope this rain doesn’t affect them.** ”   
Holding the arrow between her knees, she cracked two pieces of flint together. As the water ran down her arms and over the flint, she frowned. “ **Damn... Can’t even get it lit...** ” she muttered. “ **Okay, maybe if I get above it and drop a bomb down... No, there’s an overhang... Maybe I can get over there, plant a bomb... And hope the blast doesn’t kill me...** ”   
Looking around, she spotted a powerful gust of wind behind her. “ **That’s looks like it could work...** ” 

Pearl jumped into the gust with the glider. It picked her up, lifting her into the air a short distance. At the top, she veered out, aiming for the gap in the opposite wall just barely visible through the downpour.   
Nearing the pile of rubble, Pearl landed on the ledge beyond and folded up the glider. “ **Too easy...** ” she grabbed the slate, creating a glowing blue square bomb. Dropping it on the ledge in a corner close to the rubble, she went to the other side of the ledge, dropped over the side of the cliff and climbed down a short distance. Grabbing the slate one handed, she tapped the screen with the tip of her nose.   
Above, the bomb exploded, sending chunks of rocks flying out over the side of the ledge. Huddling close to the wall, she saw several pieces dropping down close to her as the smoke above wafted away.   
Climbing back up, she nodded at the sight of the shrine. “ **Sorted.** ” 

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Pearl stood on the shrine's platform. “ **Ugh, two combat trials in a row... I’m just going to warp back to** **Akkala** **Tower for the night, then back to that last shrine, save some travel time...** ” 

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Looking down at the lake below, Pearl saw a building. “ **Hmmm... I’d better go check that out too. I should be able to reach it by gliding.** ” 

Landing on top of a giant boulder, she looked down at the man working hard with a pickaxe at another boulder. Jumping down, she walked over. < ** _Uhh_** ** _, hello?_** >   
The man turned, wiping some sweat from his brow before glancing at her. < ** _Hey. We meet again._** >   
Pearl looked around nervously. < ** _Sorry... I don’t... Who are you again?_** > she blushed.   
He nodded. < ** _I’m one of the_** ** _Bolson_** ** _Construction contractors. The name’s Hudson._** >   
Pearl grinned, recognition in her eyes. < ** _Of course! I remember now. I brought a house from you guys back in_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Village._** >   
< ** _I remember you too._** > said Hudson. 

Pearl looked around the boulder strewn area. < ** _What are you doing?_** >   
< ** _Since I've been transferred here, I've decided to build a village from scratch. Every village needs a name, though. I think I'll call it..._** ** _Tarrey_** ** _Town._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Seems like a good name to me._** >   
He sighed. < ** _However_** ** _... I built a house to store the village supplies in, but there just isn’t enough... of anything really. People... Money... stuff..._** >   
Pearl looked towards the house. < ** _Yeah, you do_** ** _kinda_** ** _need those things for a village to actually work. Anything I can do to help?_** >   
Hudson nodded. < ** _Yes actually. I can’t really leave here, as I have a lot of work to do, so I need someone to help find people to live here. I need a lot more wood for building houses, someone strong to help me shift these boulders faster... A_** ** _Goron_** ** _would be_** **ideal** ** _for that..._** > he looked thoughtful for a moment. < ** _Hmm... Someone with a gift for tailoring, as people will need clothes... Mine are already starting to get worn out, to be honest... I could also do with someone who has experience running a store..._** > he paused to think. < ** _Yeah. That should do, as far as I know. If you can find me anybody like that, plus some wood, I'd be pretty grateful. Oh!_** > he snapped his fingers. < ** _One last winkle... Yeah, in accordance with the official_** ** _Bolson_** ** _Construction policy, everyone’s name must end in_** **‘son’** ** _. If you run into anybody that could be a good fit here, send them over for me, okay?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Sure. If I find anybody like that, I'll let them know._** >   
As Bolson turned and went back to work, Pearl walked away with a sigh. “ **Damn... This is okay. I can just... keep an eye out for anybody with the right kind of name and skills as I travel around. Hopefully I won’t be expected to escort anybody all the way here...** ” 

After checking in with the small goddess statue in the centre of the future village and swapping some orbs for more strength, Pearl checked the map before starting across the narrow rock bridge. “ **Okay, time to check out that weird sandbar.** ” 

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Pearl jumped off the shield with a cheer. “ **Stars, I need to do that more often...** ” she grinned. Looking around the ruins, she took note of the orange glowing orb in the shallow pool of water. “ **Okay, I need to find where you go...** ” Spotting the stone tablet, she nodded. “ **That will help... Let’s see.** ” < ** _Only a hero bearing this ancient orb shall be granted the right of trial on Rist Peninsula._** > she paused. “ **Okay, not actually helpful...** ” Looking out at the spiralling sandbar, she used the scope to check the structures in the centre. “ **Ah, there's an o** **range glowing platform. Get the orb there. Okay.** ” Putting the slate away, she picked up the orb and started down the slope towards the sandbar. 

“ **Lizalfos** **... Well, I guess a trial shouldn’t actually be easy...** ” she sighed, setting the orb down. “ **Right, new plan.** ” 

Returning the orb to the ruins, she set it down in on the other side of the tablet and examined the area. “ **Okay, it might take a few tries, and might land in the water, but I can always use** **Cryonis** **to get it back out.** ” 

Using Stasis on the orb, she hit it again and again with a Cobble Crusher. Finally, Stasis ended, and the orb flew out towards the spiral, landing in the water below. Pearl sighed. “ **Eh, it was worth a try. Cryonis it is.** ” she glided down and killed the Lizalfos below with a sneakstrike before using Cryonis to reach the orb. 

Time after time, she threw the orb forwards before setting another ice pillar under it. Ahead, she groaned internally. “ **Great, a bloody Moblin... I’ll have to fight it too...** ” 

Pearl fought and dodged around the Moblin, finally sighing as it fell. Picking up the orb, she continued, groaning at the sight of yet another Moblin on the path ahead. As silently as possible, she snuck past it, finally reaching the platform. Setting the orb into the hole, she watched as the platform turned blue. The ground shook as the shrine rose up before her, and she dropped to her knees for support. Finally, the shaking subsided, and Pearl dashed forwards, opening the door and stepping onto the lift. 

She sighed with relief at the news that there would be no further challenge for this shrine. She collected the Giant Ancient Core from the chest and continued to the altar. 

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With a sigh, Pearl stepped out of the water onto East Akkala Beach. “ **Okay, I should have enough time left today to check out that stable before sunset...** ” 

Wandering through the narrow canyon, she spotted someone standing in the ruins nearby, who gave her a wave. “ **Huh, must be** **researching** **it. I won’t disturb them.** ” 

As Pearl gave a quick wave in return and walked past, the stranger frowned. “ **No... she’s not the one...** ” they muttered darkly. 

Nearing the stable, Pearl veered right towards the shrine. 

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The next morning, Pearl left the stable and turned north towards the smoke rising in the distance. As she passed a few boulders piled together, she spotted a Guardian which flashed red and turned towards her. She immediately dove back behind the rock, taking a deep breath. “ **Okay... if I can hit it with Stasis,** **maybe** **I can get enough time to run past and out of range.** ” Pearl slipped out from behind the boulder, slate at the ready. 

All too soon, Stasis wore off, and she felt the burn of the laser sight on her back. A quick glance back, and she saw it about to fire. Leaping to the side, she saw the beam shoot past her, exploding against a tree which toppled to the ground. Almost immediately, the Guardian targeted her again. Pearl ran as fast as possible, darting left as the beam fired a second time, and right for the third. Finally, she was out of range, and the Guardian looked around before settling back to blue. 

Pearl panted and wheezed. “ **Holy... shit... that... was... close...** ” Glancing at the unlit furnace beside her, she sighed. “ **I’m** **gonna** **... have to... get past... it again... aren’t I?** ” she groaned. “ **Screw Hyrule, it can burn...** ” Shaking her head, she turned and knocked on the door.   
Hearing no answer, she shrugged, opening the door. “ **If they didn’t want anybody walking in, then they should have locked it.** ”   
Inside, she found an empty room with a strange figure in the middle. Curiously, she went up and examined it. The device whirred and gave garbled disconnected words, and Pearl shook her head. “ **No idea...** ”   
< ** _Hey, you! What are you doing here?_** >


	28. Blue Flame, Red Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crap, just realised that I skipped over this one before I put it on hiatus...
> 
> Sorry about any confusion folks.

Pearl jumped and whipped around to find two people staring at her. “ **By the stars!** ” she gasped, her hand pausing on its way to her sword. < ** _Uhh_** ** _..._** ** _Purah_** ** _sent me?_** >   
< ** _Pah_** ** _!_** > the man scoffed. < ** _I find that hard to believe young lady._** > his eyes looked her over and widened in shock. < ** _Wait... That device on your hip... Where did you get that?!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _It’s a bit of a story... Basically, I was minding my own business when_** ** _Farore_** ** _decided to bring me here. Your hero, the guy in the chamber up on the Great Plateau... Sorry, I’m terrible with names to be honest... probably won’t wake up in time to be of any use with Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _. So_** ** _Farore_** ** _brought me here to take care of as much as possible._** > she pulled off her right glove. < ** _She gave me the_** ** _Triforce_** ** _of Courage, let me take the slate, and I’m working on getting the Master Sword._** ** _Purah_** ** _fixed some damage the slate had, upgraded some of the runes for me and told me that if I’m in_** ** _Akkala_** ** _, to find some guy called Robbie at a research lab. I’m assuming this is the place, what with the giant telescope up on the roof, and that you’re Robbie._** >

The man frown as he looked her over. < ** _Purah’s_** ** _finally lost her mind..._** > he shook his head. < ** _Let’s start over... Yes, I am the lead Guardian researcher and Director of the_** ** _Akkala_** ** _Ancient Tech lab._** ** _Doctooooor_** ** _... Robbie!_** > he struck a pose.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Sheikah’s** **get a little crazy after a hundred years, huh?** ” < ** _Hi there. I’d tell you my name, but you’d probably freak out. That's also a long story... For now, just call me... Penny?_** > ‘ _Good enough... Save me having to explain everything about my father all over again..._ ’   
< ** _Yes, yes... In any case, I am really impressed that you made it all the way out to this rather remote location. Did you, perchance, meet_** ** _Purah_** ** _and borrow her power?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah._** > “ **I** ** _literally_** **just said that she told to me come here, but maybe he's going deaf too...** ” she added under her breath.   
Robbie nodded. < ** _Let us return to the subject at hand._** > he sighed. < ** _Did you know that the Calamity is regaining its power?_** >

Pearl nodded. < ** _I know. That's why_** ** _Farore_** ** _brought me here._** >   
< ** _Hmm, I see. Then I don’t need to tell you my story, hm?_** > he looked slightly put out.   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _No, not really._** >   
Robbie sighed. < ** _Hmm! Yes, I see. In that case... You! Now is the time to join forces with us_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _, yes? We must destroy the Calamity!_** > he struck the pose again, and Pearl sighed.   
< ** _Sure, let’s do that._** >   
< ** _YES! That is correct! You and I are going to join forces to put an end to the Calamity! And on that note... Sorry for the long preamble, but I'd like to provide you with some ancient soldier gear._** >

Pearl looked at him. < ** _Sure, okay._** >   
Robbie looked at the strange device beside them. < ** _Cherry... erm, the ancient oven... creates ancient soldier gear. But I fear she’s out of sorts at the moment. Hm. I'm afraid someone will have to bring the blue flame from the ancient furnace again..._** >   
Pearl gave a sigh. “ **Thought as much.** ” < ** _Okay, I’m on it. Where's the furnace?_** >   
Robbie grinned. < ** _Get the blue flame from_** ** _Tumlea_** ** _Heights, put it in the furnace, and then Cherry... I mean... the ancient oven will be fixed. However! At my age, it’s not so easy to climb mountains and cross rivers. Hm. And my wife is jealous of Cherry, so she refuses to get the blue flame for me..._** > he sighed deeply.   
Pearl glanced at the woman nearby. < ** _Fair enough. I’ll be right back._** >

Outside, Pearl examined the map. “ **Okay,** **Tumlea** **Heights is... Over there. I’ll put a beacon.** ” Moving across towards it, she paused at the piled of broken Guardians. “ **Should probably** **scavenge** **for parts while I'm here... I won’t be going anywhere until morning anyway...** ” 

Once she was sure that all the scrap parts had been collected, she moved towards the beacon. “ **Hmmm... There’s a shrine over there... maybe I'll try for it at some point. There's a giant skull, so probably** **Bokoblins** **... If I take the torch down and around there, I can easily get back here. Except...** ” she groaned. “ **I’ll have to fight that damned Guardian...** ” 

Returning to the lab, she looked down the path. “ **Right, if I use that boulder for cover, I can dart out, get some hits in, dive back before it can hit me.** ” Pearl glided down, staying close to the edge over the ocean as possible to avoid detection. Darting behind the boulder, she paused to get her breath. “ **Okay... Arrows to the eye usually works to stun them, so...** ” she drew her bow, creeping out from behind the boulder. As the machine turned and glowed red, she fired into its eye. It spun briefly, stunned, and Pearl grinned. “ **This could be easier than I thought...** ” Again and again she stunned it, never giving it a chance to fire. Finally, it crackled and whirred, exploding and leaving a small pile of scattered parts.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, now that that’s out of the way... I’d better clear a path up to the furnace.** ” 

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Sighing, Pearl stood before the furnace. “ **Right, it took me nearly all day, but this should be much easier now. I just have to worry about** **Stals** **..** **.** ” she muttered, lighting the torch she had picked up in the lab the night before. 

She started by lighting the two braziers near the furnace. Then, turning south, she slid down the slope, reaching another brazier a short while later. Passing through the ruins where she had defeated some Moblins and Bokoblins, she lit another one and continued on, heading back uphill towards the lab. 

As she lit the brazier, it started to rain. Pearl growled in frustration as her torch fizzled out. “ **Typical... Just when you need it the least...** ” Thankfully, the blue flame in the freshly lit brazier still burned, and she huddled as close as she dared for warmth. 

Checking the slate, she sighed. “ **Ugh... This is going to take half the damned night...** ” she mumbled, holding her hands near the flame to dry them briefly before tucking them under her doublet. 

The rain started to slow, and Pearl glanced into the sky. “ **Is it** **ov** **\- Oh no...** ” Above, hanging ominously in the sky was the blood moon. Pearl dashed to the edge and watched as all of the monsters she had defeated that day suddenly reappeared. A thought grasped her, and she turned and run up the path. “ **Nonononono** **...** ” nearing the boulder, she glanced around. “ ** _SHIT!_ **” she screamed as the Guardian turned towards her. 

Pearl stormed down the path, furious. “ **All of that work, and I get so close... only to get stranded in the rain half the bloody night. And then it clears up just so there’s a** **_fucking_ ** **blood moon?!** ” she growled. Glancing at her slate, she stopped and swore. “ **It’s going to rain again soon. I need to kill that Guardian and get this up to the next brazier, or it'll be morning before I get that furnace lit...** ” Sighing, she turned around. “ **I’m starting to think that Hyrule** **_wants_ ** **to be destroyed...** ” 

Nearing the Guardian, Pearl pulled out her shield. “ **I don’t have time to whittle it down with arrows. Let’s try this.** ” Taking a breath, she stepped out into the Guardians view. Immediately, it spun and the red aiming laser centred on her shield. Pearl waited, and as the Guardian’s eye flash, she swung the shield. The beam fired, bouncing off the shield and rebounding back towards the Guardian. It spun and glowed, suddenly exploding. 

Pearl sighed. “ **No time to celebrate,** **gotta** **move.** ” she muttered, turning and running back down the path. Quickly, she swung the torch, catching the blue flame. Walking as quickly as she could, she moved past the boulder and up the path, reaching the next brazier just as the rain started again.   
Returning down the path, she gathered the scattered parts again before moving back up past the burning brazier. Reaching the front of the lab, she took shelter in the doorway. 

Finally, the first glow of sunrise filtered through the thinning clouds and Pearl sighed as the rain slowed and stopped. Walking through the wet grass, she lit the torch again, using it to light another brazier before finally reaching the furnace in front of the lab. With relief, it lit, and Pearl blow the torch out as the marking on the ground glowed bright blue. Checking her slate, she nodded as the lab registered as a travel gate. “ **I am** **_never_ ** **doing that again...** ” she muttered darkly, putting the slate away and heading inside. 

< ** _You! Listen up, hm!_** > Robbie called to her. < ** _My darling Cherry is back to normal! Such is the power of love... My love made Cherry well again!_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Actually, I lit the furnace..._** > “ **And it was way harder than it had any right to be...** ” she added under her breath.   
Robbie paused. < ** _…Oh... Well, thank you. Yes,_** ** _quite_** ** _. Now then, please take this as a gift of my gratitude now that Cherry is fixed!_** >   
Her held out his hand, and Pearl accepted three strange blue arrows. They looked similar to the weapons that the shrine Guardians possessed, and she raised an eyebrow as she looked them over.   
Robbie nodded. < ** _They are made using secret_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _technology. With the addition of my upgrades, they have morphed into... Anti-Calamity weapons!_** ** _So_** ** _to speak... Needless to say, they are an incredibly powerful type of ancient soldier gear. I like to call them... Ancient arrows!_** > he struck his pose, and Pearl sighed, placing the arrows into her bag as she waited for him to continue. 

< ** _In addition to ancient arrows, Cherry can make all kinds of ancient soldier gear. If you’re looking to acquire some, give your ancient materials..._** ** _-_** ** _and some rupees..._** > he added under his breath. < ** _-to Cherry._** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Rupees?_** >   
Robbie paled. < ** _Did you hear that? Ah! Forgive me. Ever since the fall of Hyrule Castle, we haven’t had much in the way of funds for our research. That's why I thought you might be willing to help us out! With rupees. Lots of them. I BEG OF YOU!_** > he pleaded, and Pearl took a step back.   
< ** _Uhh_** ** _... Sure, whatever I can spare..._** > she laughed nervously. 

Outside, Pearl returned to the western edge of the lab, looking out towards the furnace. “ **Hmm... Okay, tomorrow, I'll try to reach that shrine, then I might call it a day...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this all actually happened to me on a playthrough. I made it so far with the torch, got stranded half the damned day by rain that started around 2pm’ish and continued non-stop until midnight. Because of the cloud cover, I couldn’t see the moon, and it wasn’t until the music cue that I realised it was a blood moon night. The Guardian returned and I had to fight it again. I had to fight a couple of Moblins again that had respawned near the last lantern/brazier before I could relight my torch. I actually made it to the last one before it started raining again.  
> If I had had just ten more seconds, I could have lit the furnace and been done with it. It took an hour (RL) just to do that one fucking quest...  
> And yet, I started a new game, to relive the suffering. What is even wrong with me?... … … 


	29. Humans are Monsters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry bout the delay folks. Packing and moving, ugh.
> 
> You get a double update today.

Pearl leapt from the cliff, glider above her, and aimed for the blue flame on the opposite hillside. Scrambling up to the top before the newly regenerated Moblin saw her, she passed the two braziers still burning brightly and climbed on top of the furnace. “ **Right. If I glide down to... there, I should be able to easily reach that spot there, and can glide over to the shrine.** ” Nodding, she pulled the glider out. 

Landing near some round boulders, she saw something moving below. Switching to the camera rune, she examined it. “ **Ugh... a Blue-Maned Lynel...** ” Looking around, she turned to her right. “ **If I keep to the edge here, maybe it won’t see me...** ” 

After touching the flowers in sequence and putting the box of Korok seeds away, she ran up the nearby slope and stopped. Using the Stasis rune, she sighed. “ **Okay, not active...** ” she nodded, stepping forward to check the damaged guardians for parts. 

Finally, she stood on the edge of the cliff looking towards the shrine. “ **Why would anyone put it there?** ” she shrugged. “ **Well, whatever. I'd better get over there and start climbing before it starts to rain again or something...** ” 

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Pearl stood on the shrine’s platform with a sigh. “ **I don’t know where the day even went... I didn’t take that long searching those guardians, did I?** ” she glanced up at the night sky. “ **Well, I guess I can spend the night here.** ”   
Walking to the edge of the stone pillar, she went to sit down, but paused. “ **What’s that light down there?** ” 

Gliding down, she landed not far from a hot air balloon that looked handmade. A strange creature seemed to be looking at her, and she paused briefly before realising that the person was wearing a bizarre hooded monster-theme clothing and had their back to her. < ** _Umm... Hello?_** > she called warily. 

The man turned abruptly and stared at her. < ** _HOOOOOOYAG!_** > he screamed.   
Pearl took a startled step backwards. “ **Errr** **...** ”   
The man caught his breath and looked at her. < ** _Hmm? Oh. It's just a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _._** > he sighed, slumping in disappointment.   
Pearl sighed but let it go. < ** _Sorry for startling you. I was just wondering what you’re doing all the way out here..._** >   
The man tilted his head. < ** _Me? My name is Kilton. I suppose you’re here because you heard I was opening a monster shop, and you wanted to see it for yourself._** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Monster shop?_** >

He nodded. < ** _Yes. I'm opening a monster shop called Fang and Bone. But I'm still preparing for my grand opening. Here's my business card..._** > he reached under the counter and pulled out a rough piece of thick paper.   
“ **Fang and Bone... Come and see** **ol** **’ Kilton for the most monstrous deals in all of Hyrule!** ” Pearl read. < ** _Huh. Pretty interesting._** >   
He smiled. < ** _I’m... going to need that card back. It's the only one I have._** >   
Pearl nodded and handed it back, which he slipped it under the counter.   
< ** _Anyway... Do you, uh... Are you into monsters?_** >

Pearl raised an eyebrow. “ ** _Don’t tell me he’s a..._** ** _Oh_** ** _my stars..._** ” she sighed. < ** _I’m not a fan, no..._** >   
Kilton sighed. < ** _I see... That’s unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected. Although, it saddens me to know I truly am all alone in this world._** >   
He fell silent, and Pearl sighed. < ** _Well, admittedly, those_** ** _Bokoblins_** ** _can be_** ** _kinda_** ** _cute, when they’re not attacking me..._** >   
Kilton brightened up. < ** _You really like them?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Yeah, they can be pretty cool, at a distance..._** >   
< ** _I LOVE MONSTERS MORE THAN YOU DO!_** > he screamed, and Pearl took another nervous step back. 

He seemed to gather himself. < ** _I... uh... Sorry! I did it again. I just love the field of monster research so much that I decided to open a shop all about monsters! I travel all around Hyrule in search of rare and exciting monster parts. But I'm not sure which village I should visit next._** ** _Kakariko_** ** _Village or_** ** _Hateno_** ** _Village?_** ** _Thoguh_** ** _Rito Village and Zora’s Domain are also good options. Hmm... I suppose I could go all the way to_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town or_** ** _Lurelin_** ** _Village. But Lake_** ** _Akkala_** ** _is much closer. RAWWWWWRGH!_** > he growled loudly. < ** _I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself! I just can’t sit around while there are monsters to be studied! I'm off! I’m sure we’ll meet again in some village during the night. Fare thee well!_** >   
He tossed a small bottle on the ground at her feet, and thick purple smoke surrounded her. Coughing, Pearl moved back, waving her hands to clear the smoke. When it cleared, the balloon and its owner were gone. Glancing up, she saw the balloon drifting up, Kilton frantically working the onboard furnace.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Of all the people I could meet in such a weird place, and it had to be Hyrule’s resident monster-fucker...** ” she shook her head. “ **That’s it, I'm done for the day. I’m going to swap out these orbs, have something to eat and go to bed.** ” she grumbled, taking out the slate. 

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Pearl appeared at the shrine and pulled out the glider. Soaring down, she landed near the statue with ease. 

As the few small bruises healed, she heard a commotion and turned, watching the guards outside Impa’s house.   
< ** _I can’t believe this!_** > one moaned.   
Pearl walked over. < ** _What’s going on?_** >   
Dorian shook his head. < ** _Someone snuck in and stole Lady Paya’s most prized possession..._** >   
Beside him, Cado sighed. < ** _We were standing guard the whole time, and yet this awful thing still happened. How could we have let someone sneak right past us?_** >   
Pearl walked up the stairs, knocking briefly before pushing the door open. < ** _Excuse me? Lady_** ** _Impa_** ** _?_** >

Inside, a young woman sat on the floor, sobbing. Pearl glanced at Impa.   
The old woman sighed. < ** _Paya has been like that ever since the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _heirloom was stolen... To think that it would be taken, just like that. We would like your help, of course, but we understand you have an important mission to complete. I'm only here to guide you..._** >   
Pearl nodded and stepped aside, kneeling next to the young woman.   
< ** _I swear, I only took my eyes off it for a second! What should I... What should I do?_** > she sobbed. < ** _The heirloom has been stolen! And just when I had finally discovered the heirloom’s secret!_** > she burst into louder sobs, burying her face in her hands. 

Pearl glanced at Impa.   
< ** _The hero, as chosen by the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _heirloom, will be gifted the blessing of antiquity._** > she sighed. < ** _Paya thinks that the ‘_** **hero, as chosen by the** **Sheikah** **heirloom** ** _’ is you, so she stayed up all night researching the heirloom. She came to the conclusion the ‘_** **the blessing of antiquity** ** _’ refers to one of those ancient shrines. And that the heirloom is the key that opens the shrine. And just before we were able to tell you this, the thing is stolen!_** > she grumbled.   
Paya sniffed loudly, lifting her head. < ** _I had been cleaning the heirloom regularly every day from morning to dusk. Someone must have stolen it during the deepest hours of the night. This place is off-limits to outsiders... And no one from the village would do such a thing! W-would they?_** > she shook her head. < ** _Someone with evil intent came into this sacred place. I'm glad Grandmother is safe, but I still feel so... violated._** > she shuddered.   
Impa spoke up. < ** _Pearl... Paya is afraid that the thief may still be nearby. Would you please stay by her side today?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Okay._** >

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**_The next evening..._ **

< ** _Pearl, thank you... I see now that crying and feeling scared won’t help us get the heirloom back. I checked with Dorian and_** ** _Cado_** ** _, but they said they didn’t see anyone other than villagers around. I'll try again to remember all that I can about the night the heirloom was stolen, but the_** ** _thief_** ** _may still be hiding nearby. I have a bad feeling. If you spot any suspicious movement at night, don’t approach..._** >   
Pearl nodded. 

Outside, Pearl glanced around. “ **Alright... if I was a thief... well, the kind that stole from innocent people anyway... where would I hide?** ” she mused, walking down the stairs and standing near the goddess statue pond. “ **So, the guards didn’t see anything, but there’s places where someone could get behind them, if they’re good at climbing...** ” she looked up at the shrine above the village. “ **I need a different viewpoint here...** ” she muttered, pulling out the slate. 

Looking down on the village, she saw several people wandering away to their homes for the night. As the night went on, she sat on the shrine’s platform, sighing. “ **Well, this is exciting...** ”   
< ** _I have to do something..._** >   
Pearl sat up. ‘ _Someone’s coming..._ ’ She quickly moved to hide behind the shrine. Peeking out, her eyebrows rose. ‘ _One of the guards?_ ’ 

As she watched, he jogged up the hillside and past the shrine. Cautiously, she crouched down and followed him, staying just out of sight.   
The man seemed to be moving towards the fairy fountain, but turned and went right instead, following another path.   
Pearl kept at a distance as he unknowingly led her around a bend in the path and towards a wooden bridge.   
On the other side, he stopped. < ** _Show yourself!_** > he called, and for a moment she thought she had been spotted.   
  
< ** _I know you’re there! Show yourself!_** > he shouted, drawing his sword.   
With a puff of white smoke, a tall masked man appeared, long spiralling blade already drawn. < ** _You don’t have to shout. I'm right here._** > he chuckled.   
The guard glared at him. < ** _So_** ** _you’re the ones who stole the heirloom!_** >   
The man laughed. < ** _Heh... Such anger. It seems this village is truly special to the fools of this village._** >   
Impa’s guard growled. < ** _Why would you steal it?_** >   
< ** _Don’t play dumb, Dorian._** > the man sneered. 

Pearl sighed softly. ‘ _Of course, an inside job..._ ’   
< ** _You knew what you were getting yourself into when you decided to leave the organization. You forfeited your life the moment you left._** >   
Dorian flinched. < ** _Hnng_** ** _..._** >   
The man gave a laugh. < ** _You did well to tell us about the heirloom. Unfortunately, your usefulness has come to an end, as must you. But first..._** > he nodded towards Pearl, crouching behind a tree. < ** _It appears we have an audience!_** >

The man turned and started to approach her, blade at the ready. Pearl stood and warily drew her sword. < ** _I don’t want to fight you..._** >   
He swung, and she barely dodged. < ** _That’s a shame. Because I want to_** **kill** ** _you. And it would be so much more enjoyable if you put up a fight._** >   
He lifted the blade and swung down, and Pearl barely dodged the fierce gust of wind that blew forwards, parting the grass in a straight line. Reaching into her bag, she quickly drew out her Thunderspear, jabbing it towards him the second it had a charge.   
He barely made as a noise as he jerked and trembled, his sword dropping to the ground. All too quickly, the shock wore off, and he picked up the sword so fast she almost thought it had jumped into his hand at his command. She tried to jab again, but he dodged and swung again.   
Pearl switched to her Frostspear, managing to get a hit in. He froze in place, and Pearl yanked out her Cobble Crusher, grimacing as she swung it into him. 

It made contact, the ice around him shattering as he was knocked back. Before he could recover, Pearl jabbed the Frostspear again, following up with the Cobble Crusher. As she swung it the third time, his eyes widened, and he jumped back, dodging the blow. He glared at her. < ** _You may have won this battle, woman._ ** **_But,_ ** **_you have invoked the wrath of the_ ** **_Yiga_ ** **_Clan. That was a mistake._** > with a puff of white smoke, he vanished, leaving behind a large glowing orange orb, and Pearl’s eyes darted around warily. 

Behind her, Dorian sighed. < ** _I can’t believe I was being followed._** > he shook his head. < ** _I’m sure you’ve figured it out, but all of this is my fault... there’s no point in trying to hide it. I am... a member of the_ ** **_Yiga_ ** **_Clan. Or I used to be, anyway. But then I met the most incredible woman who blessed me with two amazing children. And_ ** **_so_ ** **_I tried to change my ways. Tried to leave the clan. But the_ ** **_Yiga_ ** **_..._** ” he sighed deeply, eyes filled with sadness. < ** _They took my wife’s life as punishment._** >

Pearl’s eyes widened. < ** _They killed her?!_** >   
Dorian nodded sadly. < ** _I couldn’t let them hurt my children, so I used my position as_** ** _gatekeeper_** ** _to gather information for the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _. I... I told them about you and about the village in exchange for safety._** >   
She looked at him, his face clearly filled with shame and remorse and nodded. < ** _That’s fair. You did it for your kids, anybody would understand._** >   
He smiled faintly. < ** _But my grief over losing my wife consumed me, and I finally decided to cut ties with the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _completely! I decided I could protect my children from the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _. I wasn’t afraid of them. But the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _are pure evil. They told me they would kill both_** ** _Impa_** ** _and Paya if I didn’t play along!_** > he pointed down at the orb between them. < ** _Paya figured out that this heirloom is the key to opening an ancient shrine. We weren’t able to make it work, but Paya thinks that maybe you can._** > he looked up at her. < ** _Paya... and all of us, are devoted to helping you in your quest. Now, please restore this heirloom to its pedestal._** >

Pearl nodded and picked the orb up, dropping into the hole in the middle of the glowing orange pedestal nearby. Immediately, both turned blue, and she quickly dropped to a knee as the ground started to shake.   
< ** _The shrine!_** > Dorian gasped as the shrine rose up from the ground. As the shaking subsided, Pearl stood up.   
Dorian shook his head. < ** _So_** ** _the heirloom WAS the key to opening the shrine. Incredible..._** > he sighed. < ** _I... I’m very sorry for all of this. I know it’s a selfish request, but do you think you could keep what really happened a secret? I truly don’t deserve mercy, but I don’t want my children, Koko and_** ** _Cottla_** ** _, to suffer anymore. I know it doesn’t make up for what I've done, but I pledge to protect the village and my family from now on. No matter the cost._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. You’ll have to speak with_** ** _Impa_** ** _privately about the issue though... She can help make sure your girls are safe, even if this_** ** _Yiga_** ** _clan does get to you._** >   
< ** _Of course. I fully intend to._** > he nodded as she stepped onto the lift. 


	30. Memory

Pearl sighed as she appeared in front of the shrine. Walking behind it, she crossed over the rocky slope and waved. “ **Hey guys...** ”   
“ **Pearl!** ” Steven grinned.   
Sitting beside the fire, Pearl stretched out. “ **Ugh, what a day...** ”   
Amethyst threw an arm around her. “ **What happened?** ”   
Pearl sighed deeply. “ **I went up to the north-east of Hyrule. Climb partway up Death Mountain, just to activate the tower... Had to sneak past a bunch of flying robots called Guardian** **Skywatchers** **to reach another tower in the ruins of a citadel. Found a couple of shrines and cleared them on my way north. Oh, I found Robbie... the guy** **Purah** **told me to see up in** **Akkala** **if I got the chance? He also wanted me to light a furnace with a blue flame. Stars, that was a bitch...** ” 

Groaning, she rubbed her face. “ **I found the flame easily enough, took out all of the monsters that were in the way, including a Decayed Guardian... I carried the flame up to a certain point, then it started raining. I was stuck there most of the day. I couldn’t see the sky through the clouds, so imagine my surprise and horror when the clouds cleared to reveal the blood moon...** ”   
“ **Yikes...** ” Connie whispered. “ **So** **everything came back?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, including that Guardian. I had to fight it again. Quickly too, because there was more rain forecast. I managed to get close to the lab before it started to rain again. Didn't get the furnace lit until morning... The worse luck...** ” she groaned. 

“ **Wow, sound like you had it rough today...** ” Garnet murmured.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Yeah... After that, I went to a shrine I had spotted when I was locating the ancient furnace to get the flame from. Had to avoid a** **Lynel** **along the way, and of course, I couldn’t resist searching through a bunch of broken guardians for some loose parts.** ”   
Amethyst snickered. “ **And you call me a hoarder...** ”   
“ **Actually...** ” Pearl smirked. “ **Once I had gotten the furnace lit, Robbie said that this device he had could make ancient weapons and** **armor** **out of those parts. So, I was right. I told you they’d come in handy at some point.** ” she grinned.   
Amethyst laughed. “ **Ooh, lucky break...** ” she shook her head. “ **Now you know why I keep so much junk in** **m** **ah** **room. Who knows when it’ll come in** **handy.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Amethyst, I** ** _very_** **much doubt a six-month old bottle of milk, a half-destroyed chew toy** **shaped like a hot dog,** **or what seems like nine thousand rubber duckies will ever ‘** ** _come in handy_** **’.** ”   
“ **It could.** ” Amethyst smirked. “ **Ya** **never know.** ”   
Pearl shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. “ **I fear the day when all those things are actually needed.** ” 

“ **Anyway, where was... Oh yes.** ” Pearl nodded. “ **After the shrine, I spotted a light below it, so I hopped down to see what it was. I met the strangest...** ” she trailed off. “ **Well, he was dressed as a monster, and had the greyest skin I have ever seen on a living being who wasn’t a Gem...** ” she shook her head. “ **His name was Kilton, and** **h** **e was setting up some sort of travelling store, that specialises in monsters.** **And no, I don’t exactly know what that means, and I was afraid to ask. He was very... passionate and vocal, about his love of monsters...** ” she groaned.   
Connie’s eyes widen. “ **Oh god, was he...?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Quite possibly...** ” 

After a moment of silence, Steven cleared his throat. “ **So, what happened after that?** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Well, I went back to** **Kakariko** **to exchange the orbs. There was a bit of a commotion. Something had been stolen from** **Impa’s** **house, and there was some panic about it. Don't worry, I manage to figure out what was happening. Followed... someone, into the woods near the fairy fountain. I had to fight this guy with this really elaborate sword...** ” she shook her head. “ **Thankfully, he backed off and ran away with a smoke bomb before the fight went too far. I doubt he would have let me do the same though... Anyway, left the stolen property behind, which turned out to be the key to open another shrine that was hidden away out there, so.** ” she shrugged. “ **After that, I came back here.** ”   
“ **You have had a day...** ” Garnet mused.   
Pearl lay down, her head on Amethyst’s left thigh. “ **Such a day I've had, oy...** ” she mumbled, closing her eyes. 

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As Connie and Steven collected the bowls for washing, Pearl sighed and laid down again. “ **Ahh... You know... I’m actually glad now that you guys convinced me to buy this place. It's nice to have somewhere safe to just wind down, and not have to worry about anything for a while.** ”   
“ **Hmm...** ” Garnet sighed. “ **Except that sword...** ”   
Pearl made a face. “ **Except that, yes...** ” she sighed deeply. “ **You know, despite all of the problems I had to deal with today... I managed to get through it. I climb a fair distance up an active volcano, snuck through a citadel with only a couple of quick battles again some** **Bokoblins** **, outran that Guardian, and defeated it twice... fought some evil ninja guy without actually killing him... And that’s after everything from the last few days as well.** ” she shrugged. “ **I think... maybe I should try to get the sword soon.** ” 

“ **Really?** ” Amethyst looked down at her. “ **But, what about the whole ‘** ** _it could kill_** ** _ya_** **’ thing?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, when I spoke to the goddess, or one of them anyway... she did say that it was a matter of belief. I have to** ** _believe_** **that I'm strong enough to wield it, or it won’t let me, regardless of the** **Triforce** **, or heroic blood, or whatever... If there’s one thing this day has taught me... I’m strong enough to handle just about anything.** ”   
Steven grinned. “ **You’re strong in the real way!** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Yeah, just like you.** ” she threw him a quick finger-gun.   
“ **So.** **.. When are you going?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl sat up and shrugged. “ **I guess now’s a good a time as any. Before I lose my resolve...** ” 

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Pearl put the slate back into its holster. “ **Welcome to the** **Korok** **Forest.** ”   
From the shrine, Steven gasped. “ **Look at all the** **Koroks** **!** ” he squealed. “ **They’re so cute!** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **But they hide in such ridiculously stupid places...** ” she muttered.   
Amethyst stifled a laugh. “ **Like where?** ”   
Pearl glanced around. “ **I found one under a rock. Which was up a tree. A few metres away from an active Guardian Stalker. And it was raining.** ” she glared darkly. “ **I dropped the rock on its bloody head too.** ” she added, smirking. 

Pearl led them over to the dais, the sword stuck firmly in the centre of the stone triangle. Sighing, she glanced up at the Deku Tree above. < ** _I don’t suppose you’ll willing to let me know if I'm actually ready for this, huh?_** >   
< ** _If you hope to extract the sword, you’ll need to summon a hero’s strength._** > his deep voice rumbled. < ** _Let us see how brightly your life force burns._** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **That’s a no, you’re not getting hints...** ”   
Garnet placed a hand on her thin shoulder. “ **Pearl... Be careful. You’re my oldest surviving friend...** ”   
Amethyst wrapped her arms around her. “ **I just got** **ya** **, I don’t** **wanna** **lose you...** ” she mumbled into Pearls side.   
“ **Pearl...** ” Steven sniffed, joining the hug. “ **Don't die...** ” 

After a moment, everyone let go. Pearl sighed deeply and stepped back, turning and standing on the dais.   
Suddenly, she turned and stepped back down, hugging each of them in turn.   
“ **I love you...** ” she whispered to each. Stopping at Connie, she gave her a hug. “ **You are the best damned student I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. If this... If I... Keep my idiots safe for me, okay?** ”   
Connie hugged her back. “ **Okay...** ”   
Releasing the girl, Pearl tapped Steven’s nose gently. “ **Be ready to heal me, okay?** ”   
“ **Okay...** ” he nodded. 

Pearl stepped back onto the dais and cracked her knuckles. Taking a deep breath, she rolled her shoulders. With a quick motion, she grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled.   
Blue flames crackled and burned around the sword, spreading rapidly up to her arms. With obvious effort, she gritted her teeth, pulling up with all of her strength.   
Behind her, the group watch on, horrified as small cuts opened across her visible skin.   
“ **Pearl...** ” Amethyst whispered fearfully. 

Pearl put all of her strength into pulling at the sword, sweat dripping from her brow.   
Suddenly, there was a metallic scrape, and she felt the sword give. With one final burst of strength, she growled and pulled upwards, and the sword came free. 

Pearl panted and held the sword up, feeling the small cuts starts to close. Her mind was filled with images again, and she closed her eyes as everything went white. 

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< ** _Your master will come for you. Until then, you shall rest safely here._** > Pearl’s vision cleared, and in her mind’s eye, she saw a young blond woman with dirty torn clothes kneeling on the stone dais, the damaged Master Sword lying before her.   
< ** _Although the Slumber of Restoration will most certainty deprive him of his memories, please trust me when I say that I know he will arrive before you yet again._** >   
< ** _If I may be so bold... what is it that you are planning to do next, princess?_** >   
Zelda stood, looking down at the damaged sword. < ** _The Master Sword... I heard it speak to me. It seems that my role is unfinished. There is still something I must do._** >   
< ** _I sense there is great strength in your dedication._** > the Deku Tree spoke.   
< ** _Great_** ** _Deku_** ** _Tree, I ask of you, when he returns, can you please relay this message... Tell him, I-_** >   
The Deku Tree interrupted. < ** _Now, then... Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don’t you think?_** >   
Zelda smiled and nodded. < ** _Yes._** > With that, she picked up the sword and slid it into the slot on the dais, finally driving it firmly into the stone. 

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“ **Pearl?!** ” Amethyst gently shook her shoulder. “ **Pearl?!** ”   
Pearl gasped, opening her eyes and looking around at their concerned faces. “ **Wha...** ”   
“ **You went off somewhere... Are you okay?** ” Amethyst asked, one hand on Pearl’s face, her eyes filled with concern.   
Pearl blinked a few times, and after a moment, she nodded. “ **Yeah, yeah... I just... There was some sort of... memory... that Zelda left behind... I don’t think it was intended for me...** ” she sighed, glancing at the sword still clenched in her hand. Shaking her head, she looked to the side where a group of Koroks carried a long dark blue sheath with gold accents out to the dais. Picking it up, she slung it onto her back, sheathing the sword. 

< ** _What you just saw happened where you stand, one hundred years ago..._** > They looked up at the Deku Tree. < ** _After Link was separated from the sword, the princess thought to bring it here, where she knew that it would be safe under my watch. She continues to fight, trapped deep within the confines of Hyrule Castle. Her heart cascades with faith that he will return. She has a smile like the sun... I would do much to feel its warmth upon me once again._** > The Deku Tree stilled.   
Pearl glanced at the others. < ** _So, now that I have the sword... Now what?_** >   
< ** _When used against Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _or those tainted by his Malic, it will become suffused with holy light... At such times, the true power of the sword will manifest... But be warned. Do not rely too much on its power. If you wield it without need, its power will be exhausted, and it will no longer be of use to you. … Should this happen, you must wait for the sword to recover. It would be rash to rely on this sword alone to defeat_** ** _Ganon_** ** _... I suggest you free the Divine Beasts before facing him._** >   
Pearl nodded and took out the slate. < ** _Okay, thank you. We need to rest up now..._** > she waited as the group all gathered together and warped them away. 

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Pearl immediately turned and walked towards the house in silence.   
Behind her, they glanced at each other with concern before moving after her.   
Inside the house, they found her lying face-down on the bed. “ **Ughh** **... What a day...** ” she groaned.   
Garnet gently picked her up. “ **Come on... At least let us get all this stuff off you first. Then you can sleep for a week.** ”   
As Amethyst started to undo the straps, Pearl sighed. “ **I don’t have the energy to even argue...** ” she murmured. 

Amethyst propped the sheathed sword against the wall nervously. “ **I don’t even** **wanna** **_touch_** **that thing...** ” she shivered. “ **Gives me the heebie-jeebies,** ** _and_** **the willies...** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah. It looks** **kinda** **cool, but those flames, and the cuts...** ” she shuddered. “ **Nope.** ”   
“ **At least Pearl was magically healed afterwards...** ” Steven sighed. “ **I was so scared; my mouth went dry...** ”   
Amethyst finally pulled the strap of the bag away from Pearl’s shoulder and put it on the floor nearby. “ **There, all done.** ”   
There was no response, and they glanced around.   
Garnet shifted Pearl slightly. “ **She’s... asleep...** ” she stated, gently placing Pearl onto the bed.   
“ **She had a rough day...** ” Amethyst sighed, crawling up beside the sleeping woman. 


	31. Day 5-Daddy Issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back. Move is... mostly sorted. Just waiting on some furniture and the cable TV stuff to be installed.  
> But the internet is back, so I'm happy.
> 
> Also, I just realised that before I want on hiatus, I accidentally skipped posting a chapter.  
> The correct Chapter 28 has been uploaded, so pop back and have a look.  
> Must have been so distracted by the move, I just... skipped it. I dunno...  
> Sorry for any confusion.
> 
> On the plus side, it means you get three new chapters this weekend.

_ Day 5 Earth Time... _

** Days in Hyrule... 96... **

Amethyst looked around as Pearl tiredly stumbled from the door. “ **Hey Pearl.** ”   
“ **Hngngnnnn** **...** ” she mumbled, turning and going around the side of the house, the sound of a door opening and closing soon followed.   
Amethyst chuckled and returned to cracking eggs. “ **Still not a morning person...** ”

After washing her hands, Pearl shuffled towards them and sat down, leaning against Amethyst.   
“ **Hey,** **wanna** **try the morning thing again?** ”   
Pearl slowly shook her head. “ **...fffeeeckkoooorrrrffff...** ”   
Connie stifled a laugh. “ **Not sure that was even a word... Maybe we should ask if she wants to try speaking English again...** ”   
Pearl shifted, lying across Amethyst’s lap. “ **Bugggeeerrrooorrrfff...** ” she groaned, eyes clenched tightly shut.   
“ **Well that was clearer.** ” Garnet chuckled. 

Garnet shifted a large serve of eggs into the bowl and handed it to Amethyst, who held it near Pearl’s nose. “ **Pearl... Breakfast.** ” she teased. “ **Wakey-wakey, or I’ll eat it all...** **yumyum** **...** ”   
“ **I will kill you...** ” Pearl muttered, opening an eye and reaching out with one hand. With great effort, she levered herself up and grabbed the bowl, spooning a large amount of the omelette into her mouth before she slowly started to chew, her cheeks bulging comically.

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As Amethyst took the bowls around to be cleaned, Pearl sat there, eyes opening and closing slowly.   
“ **Is she okay?** ” Steven whispered to Garnet.   
Garnet shrugged. “ **I** **dunno** **... She did have a rough day yesterday... And that sword took a lot out of her...** ”   
As they watched, Pearl slowly peeled the doublet off, dropping it on the ground nearby. Standing, she wobbled slightly before shuffling towards the bridge, eyes half-closed.   
“ **Where is she going?** ” Connie asked concerned.   
Halfway across the bridge, Pearl paused and turned, stepping off.

As the group rushed to the edge of the short cliff and looked over, they saw Pearl floating face up in the water, eyes closed.   
“ **Pearl?!** ” Amethyst called down.   
The thin woman in the water raised an arm, giving them a thumbs-up.   
“ **Don’t do that again!** ” Amethyst groaned.

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Sometime later, Pearl climbed up and sat in the sun, slowly drying off. “ **I needed that...** ” she mumbled.   
“ **Well I didn’t need the heart attack...** ” Amethyst grumbled.   
Pearl glanced at her. “ **Sorry... I figured a cold splash would wake me up faster. I wasn’t exactly able to say as much... I really am** ** _not_** **a morning person...** ” she blushed.   
“ **Yeah, we know...** ” Amethyst sighed.   
Pearl combed her fingers through her wet hair. “ **To be honest... Yesterday took a lot out of me... It was... stressful... And when I was holding the sword, trying to pull it out...** ” she shivered. “ **I could... I could feel my life-force slowly draining away... I could feel myself... dying...** ” she whispered.

As Amethyst threw an arm around her, Steven moved over to the other side, cuddling into Pearl. “ **Are you okay?** ” he whispered.   
After a moment, Pearl slowly nodded. “ **Y-yeah... I mean... It’s not the first time I’ve almost died... Or even the first time I** ** _have_** **died, to be honest... It’s just... This time, would have been... permanent. I haven’t felt that scared since... I was last in Hyrule, actually.** ” she sighed. “ **I guess my body just decided to shut down for a while, rather than deal with it. I... don’t even remember falling asleep...** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **We were still helping you remove your gear. You were out cold before we’d finished.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Ah... Thanks...** ”

As Pearl shrugged the doublet back on, Connie spoke up. “ **So... What’s the plan for today?** ” They paused and looked at her, and she shrugged. “ **I mean, you have the sword now, so that’s not an issue. Are you going to take on more shrines, unlock more towers...?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Actually, I was thinking... well, maybe it’s time to start on those Divine Beasts.** ”

“ **Yeah?** ” Amethyst asked. “ **Ya** **sure?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yes. And I’ve already decided which one to start with.** ” she returned to the house briefly and returned with the slate. After a moment, she turned it to show them a picture of the giant mechanical bird.   
“ **Why that one?** ” Steven asked. “ **I mean... it’s all the way up there... how are you going to reach it?** ”   
Pearl shrugged, putting the slate down. “ **No idea. I figure that the Rito would know a way. After all, it’s their machine... Besides, I have... other, reasons...** ”   
“ **Which are...?** ” Connie prompted.   
Pearl sighed. “ **The other races with Divine Beasts are all ones that were around in my time. I’ve already been recognised by the** **Sheikah** **simply by my name and appearance. It stands to reason that the other races will have at least some knowledge of who I am. I** ** _really_** **want to avoid the Zora for as long as possible... My father did try to wipe them out, after all... And I wasn’t exactly... nice, to them... when I was young...** ” she blushed, looking away. “ **He also tried to destroy the** **Gorons** **, so that might be a problem for me here... And I don’t know which timeline we’re in, or what kind of things my people decide to write into history... If I was remembered as being** ** _worse_** **than him... or if they simply opted to demonise me as an agent of my father... I could actually be banished for all that I know. And that’s a lifetime thing, so...** ” she sighed. “ **Even after all of this time, they still might consider me an enemy...** ” she shook her head. “ **The Rito are the only race that has no personal history with my father or myself. That I'm aware of, at least... Therefore, they are most likely to actually accept my help. If I can help them... maybe they’ll send word to the others that I'm on the right side this time, and they’ll be less likely to kill me on sight.** ”

The group fell silent. “ **Stars...** ” Amethyst sighed. “ **Pearl, you’ve** ** _really_** **gotta** **do something about your daddy issues.** ”   
With that, the tension was broken, and Pearl started to laugh with the others. “ **I** ** _know_** **!** ”   
“ **Well, it could have been worse...** ” Connie said. “ **He could have been overprotective as well.** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Oh, he was. He had** **Moblins** **following me every time I left the castle, as bodyguards. But then again, I could beat them up. So maybe I was guarding them.** ”   
As their laughter trailed off, Pearl sighed. “ **Well, I should start getting ready to head off.** ” she said, standing. “ **But if I can find somewhere safe but close to the bird, I’ll come back to collect you, okay?** ”

Inside the house, Pearl casually strapped her gear back on as they watched.   
“ **Pearl,** **ya** **sure about this?** ” Amethyst asked. “ **I mean... you could probably get away with taking the day off,** **ya** **know...** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **I wish I could. But somehow, I don’t think the goddesses will let me. They'll probably take turns harassing me about getting back to fixing their mistakes. Which won’t be very relaxing. Besides, the sooner I get this over with, the sooner we can get home. And the sooner we get home... the sooner we can go back to being functionally immortal space rocks who consider death a mere temporary inconvenience.** ”   
Amethyst snickered. “ **I died. But I got better.** ”   
“ **For me, it was merely a Tuesday.** ” Pearl smirked. “ **Well, a lot of Tuesdays. Okay, maybe about a century’s worth.** ” she shrugged, tightening the strap of the Master Sword’s sheath as they stared. Taking out the slate, Pearl examined the map. “ **Hmm... Okay, I’ll start from there.** ” Looking up, she smiled. “ **See you soon.** ” she said before blue streams of light carried her away.


	32. Origins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a headcanon I came up with solely to explain a Gerudo becoming a Gem.

In the early morning light, Pearl looked up from the slate and across to the distant rock spire, her eyes darting up towards the giant mechanical bird above. “ **Hmm... Okay. I'll glide down there again, follow the path back to the stable, then across the bridge. Clear that shrine, and go from there.** ” Nodding, she put the slate away and took out the glider. 

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Pearl climbed to the top of the stable and used the scope. “ **Hmm... Weird** **kinda** **huts... Maybe that’s actually the Rito Village?** ” she shrugged. “ **Okay. Once I clear that shrine, I can collect the others.** ” 

As she approached the bridge, she saw a Rito walking towards her with a spear. Walking past, she gave him a nod, receiving one in turn. Just past him, she gave a sigh of relief, crossing the short bridge. On the grass-covered pillar beyond, her slate started to beep, and she rolled her eyes. “ **Yes, I know there’s a shrine here. Ugh, I'd better turn the sensor off for a moment, or it’s going to get irritating...** ” After fiddling with the slate for a few seconds, she sighed. “ **Right, as long as I remember to turn it back on later...** ” she muttered, heading towards the next bridge. 

Crossing the fourth bridge, she was startled by a loud piercing shriek. Looking up, she saw the giant bird above, slowly turning around the spire of the village. It gave a couple of more shrieks and continued on. 

Pearl looked around. “ **Okay...** **wha** **... Why did it...** ” As one hand landed on the slate on her hip, she glanced down. “ **Did... did it somehow sense the slate? They’re both** **Sheikah** **technology, so I guess it’s possible...** ” Looking back up into the blue sky, she sighed. “ **Well, as long as it doesn’t specifically swoop down to attack me...** ” 

As she entered the village, she spotted another Rito, patrolling back and forth with a spear. He glanced at her. < ** _Oh, a_** ** _traveler_** ** _... My name’s_** ** _Mazli_** ** _. I’d show you around, but..._** > his eyes glanced up.   
Pearl looked up at the bird. < ** _Can you tell me what’s going on with that?_** >   
Mazli sighed. < ** _That's Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _. It showed up a while back. The Rito warriors who flew up to check it out were shot down..._** >   
Pearl’s eyes darted back to him in concern.   
< ** _They say it used to be a divine being that protected the village, but it doesn’t seem very divine to me._** > he turned back to her. < ** _Thankfully, the thing only shoots at anything flying high above the village. But still... It is pretty demoralizing for us Rito having to fly so low to the ground._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I can understand that. I should get moving now._** >

Moving up to flights of stairs, she paused at the small goddess statue set into an alcove in the stone wall. “ **I don’t have enough orbs to do anything yet...** ” she sighed, passing it.   
Nearby, she saw another Rito, sitting on the wooden terrace, mumbling to himself.   
< ** _Um, hello?_** > Pearl moved closer.   
He turned to looked at her. < ** _Oh, hey. You see the Divine Beast?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah._** ** _Kinda_** ** _hard to miss..._** >   
He nodded. < ** _Everyone in the village is freaking out because of it, but I have bigger problems. My mum is SO annoying. She asks me to help out at the store every single day. Like, ‘_** ** _Fyson_** ** _, do this’ and ‘_** ** _Fyson_** ** _, do that’... I can’t take it anymore... I don’t... want to just ‘help’. I want to open my OWN store, and sell whatever I want! But I don’t want to compete with mum... I wish there was a place where I could set up my own shop..._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes. ‘ _What a brat... Wait..._ ’ < ** _Um, excuse me, what did you say your name was?_** >   
< ** _Fyson_** ** _._** > he shrugged. 

Pearl pulled out the slate. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Actually, there may be a place... There’s this new town that getting set up, over in_** ** _Akkala_** ** _, and I was asked to looked out for someone who can run their store. I was told specifically to find someone who’s name ends with ‘son’._** >   
He turned to her with clear interest and she showed him the location on the map.   
< ** _I mean, you’d have to let your mother know that your leaving, or she’ll think you’ve been hurt by that thing-_** > she pointed up at the circling beast. < ** _-and you’ll have to walk for at least a while to avoid being shot down, but if she agrees to let you go..._** >   
< ** _I could have my own store._** > he finished excitedly. < ** _Okay, I’ll go tell her right away. Thank you!_** > he ran off towards the top of the spire. 

Pearl followed him up the wooden walkway, passing an inn along the way. After going up a flight of stairs, she found the store, where Fyson was excitedly talking to his mother. Pearl paused and watched as she sighed and nodded, and he shouted happily as he gave her a hug. Turning, he ran off up the next flight of stairs.   
“ **Huh. I guess she said yes. Well, that’s one down. Now I just need a tailor, and a** **Goron** **to move those boulders...** ” 

The next building had another Rito standing in front of it. < ** _Warm garb here!_** > he called to her, stretching out a wing.   
Pearl paused. “ **I do need something warmer than this doublet if I'm going to go north at any point...** ” she muttered, turning towards the small store.   
She examined the three pieces of the outfit, pausing at the small red gem set into the headdress. ‘ _I’m not sure Garnet will like that... But as long as I don’t wear it around her, it should be fine..._ ’   
< ** _Welcome to the Brazen Beak! What can I do for you?_** >   
Pearl pointed at the clothing on the simple wooden dummies. < ** _I’d like a set, please._** >   
< ** _Certainly! That’ll be... two thousand, one hundred and fifty rupees._** >

Pearl grimaced. “ **Yikes...** ” she pulled out her rupee pouch from the bag and shuffled through the small shards inside. “ **Umm... Okay, I can manage that.** ” < ** _Here you go._** > she placed a pile of shards on the counter, and the clerk took a moment to count them all up.   
< ** _Okay, here’s your change. And thank you for shopping at the Brazen Beak._** >   
Pearl nodded and collected the three pieces of the outfit, placing them into her bag before leaving the store. 

As Pearl passed another small room, she paused at the sound of crying. Nervously looking in, she spotted a small Rito, her sniffs obvious even with her back turned. Sighing, Pearl stepped forwards. < ** _Hey..._** ** _Are you okay?_** >   
The small girl turned. < ** _*_** _sniff_ ** _* That Divine Beast_** ** _Medoh_** ** _in the sky is the worst._** ** _Molli’s_** ** _dad got hurt... and_** ** _Tulin’s_** ** _dad disappeared. Mom and big sis and my little sis are all sad. And I... can’t do anything to help. *_** _sniff_ ** _* If only dad was here..._** > she sobbed.   
Pearl nodded sadly. < ** _Well, I'm going to try and do something about that mean old Divine Beast, okay?_** >   
< ** _Really?_** > the little Rito sniffed. < ** _But... You’re a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _. You... you can’t even fly..._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _That’s never stopped me before._** >

At the next hut, Pearl saw another little Rito sitting close to a cooking pot. < ** _Hi there. You might be a little close to the fire there..._** >   
The girl turned to her. < ** _Oh, a traveler... Did you come to make that big bird up in the sky stop bothering us?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah._** >   
< ** _Nooo_** ** _!_** > she called, startling Pearl. < ** _If everything goes back to normal,_** ** _Kheel_** ** _will make me go back to singing practice._** > she sighed. < ** _I mean... I feel bad that_** ** _Molli’s_** ** _dad, Mr. Harth, got hurt, but..._** > she shook her head. < ** _But I definitely know I don’t want to practice singing!_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Well, maybe I’ll take my time with_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, huh?_** >   
The girl nodded. < ** _I’d like that..._** >

As Pearl walked up the stairs, she sighed. “ **Okay, one guy injured, one –maybe two- missing... and a little bird who doesn’t want to sing.** ”   
At the next landing, she spotted another small Rito. < ** _Hello._** >   
The girl looked at her. < ** _Hi. What me to tell you a story?_** >   
Pearl nodded and knelt down. < ** _Sure. I love stories._** >   
The girl grinned. < ** _Awesome! Me too!_** > she cleared her throat. < ** _Once upon a time... My grandpa stopped at a big tree while he was climbing a big mountain and looked below him to the northwest. When suddenly he saw a HUGE snow-white bird with its wings spread wide! My grandpa took off flying after the snow-white birdie. And as he got a little closer to the white birdie, Grandpa saw something SUPER important inside its belly! The birdie had swallowed-_** >   
Pearl leaned forward. < ** _Well? What was it?_** >   
The girl sighed. < ** _Um... I always got sleepy around that part of the story... so I don’t remember..._** > she suddenly perked up. < ** _OH! I know where the big tree is, though!_** > she turned and pointed towards a distant mountain-top, where a single tall tree stood at its peak. < ** _It’s over there! You see it?_** >   
Pearl stood and looked towards the mountains. After a moment, she nodded. < ** _Yes, I do._** >   
< ** _Grandpa said he saw the snow-white birdie from THAT tree!_** > the girl said excitedly. < ** _Hmm... Now, what did that snow-white birdie swallow? I can’t hear the story from Grandpa anymore..._** > she sniffed.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. How about I find out, and come back to tell you how the story ends?_** >   
The girls nodded happily. < ** _Oh yes, that would be amazing!_** >

Pearl checked the slate, nodding as she saw that the girl’s story had registered as a shrine quest. “ **Hmm, I guess it swallowed a shrine. So probably not an actual bird.** ” she paused. “ **Or maybe a very large one... I hope not...** ” she turned and quickly placed a beacon on the tree. “ **Take care of that later...** ”   
Ahead, she finally saw the shrine again, glowing orange in the fading light. “ **Okay, get this sorted out, then go back for the others.** ” 

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Pearl reappeared with a flash of blue and turned towards the house. Crossing over the stony ground, she smiled. “ **Hey.** ”   
“ **You’re back pretty quick...** ” Amethyst said, hugging her. “ **Not that I mind, but... it’s only been a couple of days.** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I know. I reached the Rito village, and I did say I'd come back and get you guys, so...** ”   
Steven and Connie grinned and ran into the house. Seconds later they returned, each shrugging on a backpack. “ **We’re ready!** ”   
Pearl laughed. “ **I can tell.** ” she smiled as they each adjusted their straps. “ **However, I wasn’t actually planning on taking you there until morning, so...** ”   
“ **Oh...** ” they blushed. “ **Okay.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **In the** **meantime** **... I actually managed to buy a new outfit whilst I was looking for the shrine. I already had** **Cotera** **upgrade it a couple of times for me for extra magical effects. Give me a second to go and change...** ” 

A few minutes later, Pearl stepped out of the house. The patchwork of different colours meshed well with the bandanna on her head, and Garnet grinned as she let out a wolf-whistle.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Quiet you...** ” she muttered. “ **These are called** **Snowquill** **trousers and Tunic. There's a head-dress, but...** ” she glanced at Garnet. “ **It has a ruby set in it, for magical cold protection...** ”   
Garnet flinched. “ **People use gems...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Only some, but... Yeah. Rubies for heat, sapphires for cold, topaz for protection against electricity...** ” she glanced at Steven. “ **Diamonds for general strength...** ” She pointed up at the bandanna. “ **So** **there’s why I'm wearing this instead. It grants me extra magical help when climbing, which is always useful.** ” she sighed. “ **It’s just how things have always been here.** **I didn’t find it creepy until I had spent some time in your dimension... But it’s mostly** **Gerudo** **who make use of gems for magical properties... I actually have a theory about that.** ” 

“ **Let’s hear it then.** ” Amethyst said, sitting down beside the fire.   
Pearl waited until they were all comfortable, but remained standing. “ **Sorry, this outfit is warm enough, so I don’t really need to be any closer...** ” she sighed. “ **Okay, firstly, the** **Gerudo** **have always had a strong connection with gemstones. Even from birth, we only feel like true** **Gerudo** **when we have a gemstone close to our bodies.** **Gerudo** **babies cry constantly, and cannot be calmed, until we are presented with the right kind of gem. For example, I screamed until my father gave me this.** ” she pointed at her forehead, where the oval pearl still sat, fused with her skin. “ **If we give birth to a baby who does not cry for their gem, they are not considered true** **Gerudo** **. Usually, their** **Hylian** **parent is given custody.** ” 

Pearl shrugged. “ **Secondly, our distant history is shrouded. No-one actually knows where my people came from. The first** **Hylian** **record of us is from long after we had come to live in the desert. We didn’t start recording our own history until shortly before they did.** ” she shrugged and started checking off on the fingers of her left hand. “ **So, we have a people with a strong affinity for gemstones; who are almost always female for no known reason; can be very long-lived, especially when they have access to their own form of magic; who become Gems when transported into your realm, with all of the powers and abilities inherent of a Gem formed natively to that realm... and no-one, not even ourselves, truly knows our origins.** ” she looked around at them. “ **I think... it’s possible... That the reason I became a Gem in your realm is because... My people may have originally** **_been_ ** **Gems.** ” 

“ **Whoa...** ” Steven breathed.   
Connie nodded. “ **This sounds plausible.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **My theory is this. Long, long ago, there was a planet in your realm that was being colonised. Maybe, with the difference in the flow of time, it was actually the same world that I found myself on, which Blue Diamond was abandoning. Maybe it was another one entirely. Either separately, or as a large group, some Gems fell through the same kind of portal that I did, finding themselves in Hyrule in the distant past. They became mortal, and couldn’t figure out how to get back. Eventually, they started to fall in love with** **Hylians** **and** **Sheikahs** **, and had children. Which must have come as a shock...** ” she muttered. “ **The children didn’t have gems, but still instinctively knew that they were Gems.** ” she shrugged. “ **It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for humans to forget things. So, after a couple of hundred years -we’re very long lived- they had forgotten anything before Hyrule. By the time we had started to write our own history, we had just... always lived in the desert, and didn’t see any reason to question our origins.** ” 

After a moment of silence, Amethyst laughed. “ **Ha!** **So** **I** ** _was_** **right up in that cave with the coma guy. You** ** _are_** **a Gem!** ” she pointed gleefully at Pearl.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Yes and no. I’m basically a human, who was born a mortal, who became a Gem only a few thousand years ago, but my ancestors possibly** ** _may_** **have been Gems. It's just a theory of course, but there’s no real way to prove or disprove it, so...** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Too many things make sense to completely discount it...** ”   
Steven grinned. “ **Yeah! Like how all the other pearls look like Pearl. Wait...** ” he paused. “ **Does that mean there’s** **Gerudo** **who are tall like the diamonds?** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Steven, you really need to get your ‘giant woman’ thing under control. And no. I mean... my father was about... well, it’s hard to tell. I was shorter than this when I last saw him... Umm...** ” she paused for a moment. “ **I’d have to say he was about... somewhere in between Garnet and... Rose... in height. And he was taller than most adult** **Gerudo** **at the time.** **So** **we average about Garnet’s height. I'm just shorter, because I take after my mother a little too much.** ” she shrugged. 

After a moment, Pearl sighed, glancing towards the west. “ **Anyway... The sun will be up soon. We should get a move on.** ”   
Waiting until they had each place a hand on her arms, she selected the Rito Village shrine, and after a moment, they all warped away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	33. Belief and Disbelief

“ **Wow!** ” Steven called with his head craned back as he stared at the giant mechanical bird slowly flying overhead.   
Connie glanced at Pearl. “ **Figured out how you’re** **gonna** **get up there yet?** ”   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Still working on it. I've only really had a quick look around the village so far. I assume there’s someone around here who knows more about the thing, I just haven’t met them yet.** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, they walked towards the wooden walkway that twisted around the stone spire. “ **I walked up this far** **yesterday,** **I still need to check out the rest of the village.** ” she pointed up.   
“ **Okay.** ” Garnet shrugged. “ **Lead the way.** ”   
Pausing at the small hut nearby, Pearl shook her head. “ **Nobody home...** ” she shrugged. 

In the next hut, they found an adult Rito, sitting on the floor holding himself painfully.   
Pearl glanced back at the group. “ **Oh... I did hear that someone had been injured when they went to check out the Divine Beast... This must be him...** ”   
Steven leaned forwards. “ **Should I try to heal him?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **If he allows it...** ” 

< ** _Hello?_** >   
The Rito looked up. < ** _Arrgh_** ** _... Welcome._** ** _Owwww_** ** _..._** >   
Pearl glanced at Steven. < ** _Are you okay?_** >   
The Rito looked away. < ** _No offense, but this is not your concern. That cursed monster..._** > he muttered under his breath.   
< ** _Um... Okay..._** > Pearl stepped back with a sigh. “ **Sorry Steven... but he doesn’t seem in the mood to be friendly right now. Maybe you can try again later.** ”   
Steven sighed and nodded. “ **Okay... I guess...** ” 

In the next few huts, Pearl tried talking to the adults there, but they seemed distrustful and wary, their eyes constantly darting up towards the Beast flying high above them. Finally, they reached the end of the wooden walkway, a large Rito in the hut nearby watching them curiously.   
“ **Well, this is it. If this guy doesn’t want to talk to me, I'm** **gonna** **have to** **skip the Rito and try again later...** ” Pearl sighed, stepping toward the hut. 

< ** _Ah, a visitor. Welcome to..._** > He paused, looking at her curiously. < ** _Oh. OH!_** > he leaned forward excitedly. < ** _T_** ** _hat object on your hip... Could it be..._** >   
Pearl gently touched the slate. < ** _Uh, yeah..._** >   
He leaned back. < ** _Forgive me. Where are my manners? I am_** ** _Kaneli_** ** _, elder of Rito Village._** >   
< ** _Pearl._** > she said simply.   
With a nod, his eyes flicked down to her hip again. < ** _Now then... is that not a_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate dangling from your hip?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes, that’s right._** >   
He gave a laugh. < ** _Oh my!_** ** _So_** ** _it is true! That means you must be a Champion like Master_** ** _Revali_** ** _– one of the few able to board Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _!_** > he paused, and started to mutter under his breath. < ** _No... What am I thinking? The Champions have all been dead for one hundred years. This girl must be a mere descendant... an inheritor of the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate._** >   
Pearl opened her mouth to protest, but paused. “ **Eh, whatever works for him. It's simpler than the truth.** ” she whispered to the others. 

< ** _Ah,_** ** _forgive me..._** > Kaneli sighed. < ** _Champion descendant... If you would listen to this old man’s request, you would have my eternal gratitude._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Sure, I'll listen._** >   
< ** _Thank you. Truly._** > he nodded happily. < ** _Now that I know you have the blood of a Champion, there is something I must ask of you. How shall I put this... I would like you to deal with Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _. The giant beast circling above us. Only a chosen one, a Champion, can stop a Divine Beast. You must enter the beast and bend it to your will._** > he sighed, shaking his head. < ** _I tried explaining this to the more headstrong Rito warriors, but they wouldn’t listen to reason._** ** _Teba_** ** _and Harth tried to confront_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, but it did not go well, and Harth was injured._** > he glanced aside at the hut below, where the injured Rito sat cradling his wing. < ** _Teba_** ** _escaped unscathed, but I fear he now plans to face_** ** _Medoh_** ** _alone. As a descendant of the Champions, perhaps you can help us. Please. Find_** ** _Teba_** ** _. If you work together, you may be able to stop Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _._** >

Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. Any ideas where he might have gone?_** >   
He thought for a moment. < ** _Hmm..._** ** _Teba’s_** ** _wife Saki may be able to tell you more about his whereabouts. They live right next door to me._** > he pointed at the next hut.   
Pearl glanced over. < ** _Okay. I’ll find him. I'll convince him to either stay away from_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, or help me get up there._** >

The group followed Pearl and waited outside as Steven and Connie gave Garnet and Amethyst a quick rundown on the conversations.   
Pearl waved cautiously at the Rito woman. < ** _Hello..._** >   
Saki sighed, turning towards her. < ** _Forgive my intrusion, but I overheard you speaking with the Elder. It sounds like you intend to help my husband,_** ** _Teba_** ** _, in the fight against_** ** _Medoh_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _It’ll be more like him helping me, but I’ll do my best to keep him safe as well._** >   
Saki nodded. < ** _But to tell you the truth, there is not much I can do for you right now beyond telling you where my husband went._** >   
< ** _Okay, that’s fine. Where is that?_** > Pearl asked.   
Saki looked out across the landscape. < ** _Well... My husband headed to a place called the Flight Range. It's in_** ** _Dronoc’s_** ** _Pass at the base of the_** ** _Hebra_** ** _Mountains. It's a place where Rito warriors prepare for aerial combat... I imagine he’s gone there to gather weapons for another run at_** ** _Medoh_** ** _. As it happens, he made his way to the Flight Range on foot this time._** > she pointed out towards a narrow pass, a shrine glowing orange nearby. < ** _If you take off from_** ** _Revali’s_** ** _Landing, it’s a straight shot down to the Flight Range._** >

As Pearl marked the location using the slate, Saki glanced at her. < ** _Revali’s_** ** _Landing is a memorial for the Rito Champion,_** ** _Revali_** ** _..._** ** _So_** ** _named in the hope that none might forget the events of that horrible day..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, I’ll find him._** >

As they walked down towards the landing, Pearl glanced back. “ **So, you guys get all of that?** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah. Well, most of it... There were a few words we couldn’t figure out... But basically, you have to go somewhere over there-** ” she pointed towards the distant shrine “ **-find some guy, who might be able to help you get up there.** ” she pointed up towards the divine beast.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, that’s pretty much everything. Although, apparently, only a Champion can** **enter** **the Divine Beast, or one of their descendants. I’m neither, so...** ” she sighed. “ **I hope that** **Farore** **has a way around that rule, or this will be even more difficult.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **But let’s face it: that’s the story of my life...** ” 

Pearl stood near the edge of the landing, testing the wind direction with her finger. “ **Hmm, well, it's doable. Okay, there’s a possibility that I might fall short. But I can just climb up the rest of the way if I have to.** ”   
“ **What if you fall though?** ” Amethyst sidled closer and glanced down over the edge, whistling softly. “ **It’s a long way down, Pierogi...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **In that case, I can just whip out the slate and warp to any shrine. It works in mid-air, so I can come back, and if need be... I can simply walk there.** ”   
Garnet folded her arms. “ **Something tells me you’ve saved yourself like that before...** ”   
Pearl grinned nervously. “ **...possibly... But I wasn’t** ** _actually_** **falling** **. I used it to get away from a Guardian Stalker that was going to blast me out of the sky.** ” she shrugged, glancing down at the slate. “ **Hmm... Nearly sunset.** **Ehh** **... I guess I can wait until morning. I doubt this** **Teba** **guy is going to try attacking a giant floating mechanical bird in the middle of the night...** ” 

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The following morning, they watched as Pearl leapt from the edge of the landing, glider outstretched above her. With seeming ease, she landed briefly on a thin spire of rock sticking out of the lake below before she reached the other side, landing with ease on a boulder. With a quick wave back, she moved on.   
“ **Wow, she’s gotten pretty good at this...** ” Connie mused.   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Pearl’s always been a fast learner, especially when she had to be... The fact that she’s probably having fun too also helps.** ” 

Pearl felt the cold wind blow against her face and sighed. “ **Glad I brought the** **Snowquill** **outfit...** ” she muttered. Glancing back at the group, she gave a wave before she started to trudge forward through the snow towards the brightly glowing shrine. “ **As soon as I'm out of sight, I'll put on the head-dress...** ” 

Ahead through the rising blizzard, she spotted two Bokoblins on horseback and paused. After a moment, she veered away, following the rock wall more closely.   
As soon as possible, she scrambled up the side of the cliff, and when the Bokoblins were distracted by the nearby group of horses, she darted for the shrine. 

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Landing before the altar with a sigh, she paused. “ **Hmm... Now’s as good a time as any...** ” she muttered. Removing her Climber’s Bandanna, she shoved it into her bag before taking out the Snowquill Head-dress, taking a moment to put it on before touching the altar’s barrier. “ **I just help that blizzard’s still going, give me some cover...** ” she muttered, adjusting the headdress around her own gem. 

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Pearl walked along the path, the lights of a small building just visible ahead through the falling snow. Nearby, glowing blue targets shone, and Pearl paused. “ **Huh... shooting gallery...** ” Climbing the ladder, she nervously looked around, seeing a cooking pot nearby, its flame blazing merrily, ignored by the Rito sitting at the far edge of the shack.   
Skirting around the fire, she sighed softly before stepping forward. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Are you_** ** _Teba_** ** _?_** >

The Rito paused in oiling his bow and half-turned. < ** _Yeah...?_** >   
Pearl stepped forward. < ** _I’ve been asked to come see you, and..._** >   
Teba scoffed, turning back to his bow. He stretched it out briefly. < ** _I don’t know you. And I'm actually pretty busy here. You should probably go._** >   
Pearl scowled. < ** _I can help you!_** >   
He gave a small chuckle. < ** _Help me? With what exactly?_** >   
< ** _Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _..._** > Pearl crossed her arms.   
Teba sighed. < ** _Let me get this straight... Some random_** ** _Hylian_** ** _wants to help me bring down Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _? I'm not buying it. What's your name, stranger?_** >   
< ** _Pearl._** >

Teba half-turned. < ** _I’m guessing the elder asked you to come here and talk some sense into me. Am I right?_** >   
< ** _And your wife, too._** > Pearl said, leaning against the nearby wall.   
Teba scoffed. < ** _Look – you seem like an all-right girl, but let’s make one thing clear: I'm not going anywhere. As a Rito warrior, I can’t rest until my people are safe. There's only one way I'm going back to Rito Village._** >   
< ** _And that is..._** > Pearl asked, already suspecting the answer.   
He sighed. < ** _Once Divine Beast_** ** _Medoh_** ** _falls from the sky. If I have to kill_** ** _Medoh_** ** _... so be it. Only then will I return to the village._** >   
< ** _So, kill_** ** _Medoh_** ** _... or die trying._** > Pearl shrugged. < ** _Then let’s get started._** >

Teba scoffed loudly. < ** _Are you serious? HA!_** > he laughed suddenly. < ** _Well, far be it from me to talk you off the ledge. But it’s as the elder said: the only way to stop Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _is to get inside it. Fat chance of that happening. There's no way we can set foot in_** ** _Medoh_** ** _._** >   
Pearl touched the slate. < ** _Actually... I have an idea about that._** >   
Teba laughed. < ** _So not only are you wingless... you’re brainless too._** >   
< ** _I’m not the one with the_** **literal** ** _bird-brain!_** > Pearl retorted, glaring at him. 

Teba turned and stared at her for a moment. < **_Let me fill you in – the only people able to enter the Divine Beasts are the five Champions of old. And unfortunately for us and the rest of Hyrule, they all died a hundred years ago. If it hadn’t been for_ ** **_Ganon_ ** **_..._ ** > he sighed deeply. Looking at her, his eye paused at the slate on her hip. < **_Never mind. Let's focus on bringing down_ ** **_Medoh_ ** **_... one step at a time. If we approach_ ** **_Medoh_ ** **_recklessly, its cannons will blast us out of the sky before we even get close._ ** > he shook his head. < **_..._ ** **_So_ ** **_I'm going to need to test you before I take you with me..._ **>

Pointing at the pit ahead, he eyed off an updraft. < ** _We Rito warriors use the updraft in this ravine to hone our aerial archery skills. The updrafts are so strong here that a person could just open up a cloth over their head and float up easily._** >   
Pearl nodded, already seeing where he was leading. < ** _So... I float, shoot some targets, and you take me up to_** ** _Medoh_** ** _._** >   
Teba nodded. < ** _Let’s see what you’re capable of. You'll have to manoeuvre through the air and_** ** _destroy_** ** _five of the targets set up in this valley in three minutes._** >   
Pearl collected her glider and a bow. < ** _Okay, I’m ready._** >   
He gave a quick chuckle. < ** _Then go destroy five targets with your arrows._** >

Standing, Teba pulled out a stopwatch, and waited.   
Pearl nodded and moved forward, eyeing off the area below. Smiling, she jumped, the glider easily catching the fierce wind from below. Smoothly, she glided around, shooting at a target and rapidly steering the glider away. Very quickly, she had counted five targets, and she heard a voice shout above the wind rushing past her face.   
< ** _OK! Come on back!_** >

Landing, Pearl sighed and folded the glider up.   
Teba looked at her curiously. < ** _You’re... a skilled archer. It was if time stopped with every arrow you let fly._** > he sighed. < ** _I’ve got to tell you... When you first showed up, I thought someone was pulling a prank on me. But after seeing you handle that_** ** _bow,_** ** _I can tell you’re the real deal. You must have seen a battle or two._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _More than you could even imagine..._** >   
< ** _I believe it._** > he nodded. < ** _Pearl... Well, if you really want to help me bring down_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, it’s now or never. I'll get you into_** ** _position_** ** _so you can give its cannons all you’ve got._** > he pointed at a small wooden chest nearby. < ** _Inside that chest is a bow I've modified. Take it, and let me know when you’re ready._** >   
Pearl nodded, moving towards the chest. < ** _I’d prefer to wait until morning if possible, so we can see what we’re doing._** >   
< ** _That is fine._** > Teba nodded, settling by the fire. 


	34. Fireflight

“ **Ya** **know, it still amazes me how most stores in Hyrule are open all night...** ” Amethyst looked around. “ **Like... we could come back here in the middle of the night, and still be able to buy... I** **dunno** **... that sugar cane.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **I know. When do they even sleep?** ”   
“ **It is a mystery.** ” Steven nodded. “ **Also, can we buy the sugar?** ”   
Garnet looked over with a smile. “ **I vote yes.** ”   
Connie shrugged. < ** _Excuse me? How much is this?_** > she pointed at the canes.   
< ** _Twelve rupees apiece._** > the Rito said.   
Connie examined the small collection of shards. “ **Umm... Yeah, we can get some.** ”   
“ **Yes!** ” Steven grinned. “ **Amethyst. Know any recipes?** ”   
Amethyst nodded excitedly. “ **You’re** **gonna** **need fillings by the time I'm done with** **ya’ll** **.** ” 

As the group stepped out of the store, they looked out towards the early morning sky. A small dark dot against the pale blue rose up from the mountains, and they paused.   
“ **Is that a Rito?** ” Steven asked.   
Amethyst glanced up at Garnet. “ **Maybe it’s the one she was supposed to go find...** ”   
Garnet stepped forward. “ **Hmm...** **It** **is coming from the direction that Pearl went...** ”   
They watched as it went towards the giant bird overhead. Suddenly, there was a ripple, and they watched, wide-eyed as a bright red shield flashed into being around the mechanical beast. 

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Pearl crouched on Teba’s back.   
< ** _All right. It's showtime._** > Teba called up to her.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I’m ready when you are._** >   
Teba huffed. < ** _Man, even I feel like I'm going to freeze up here!_** > he muttered.   
Suddenly, the divine beast seemed to ripple as a bright red shield of energy wrapped itself around it. 

< ** _Damn... It has its barrier up again. What a pain..._** > Teba sighed. < ** _Right, let’s go over the plan. You see those cannons?_** >   
Pearl squinted through the rush of freezing air and nodded. < ** _Yeah, I see ‘_** ** _em_** ** _._** >   
Teba nodded. < ** _I’ll draw their fire. While I'm doing that, use your bomb arrows to destroy the cannons. Got it so far?_** >   
Pearl gently rubbed her knuckles into the back of his head. < ** _Sure thing, bird-brain._** >   
Teba chuckled. < ** _If you need to withdraw for a bit, just spread your cloth and float straight up in the updraft for a while. I'll take that as a sign that we need to regroup._** > he shook his head. < ** _Oh, and don’t bother aiming for anything covered by_** ** _Medoh’s_** ** _barrier. It's impenetrable. And whatever you do, don’t get close enough to touch it. And finally-_** > he huffed < ** _I know I've said this a few times already, but don’t forget your cold protection._** >   
< ** _I got it, already. Are we_** ** _gonna_** ** _do this, or are we just_** ** _gonna_** ** _chat while we freeze our butts off?_** >   
Teba let out a laugh. < ** _Let’s go!_** > With that, he swooped above Medoh, and Pearl grabbed her glider. 

Pearl leapt from Teba’s back and glided down towards the first exposed cannon. She felt the heat of its targeting laser and groaned. “ **Great, it’s just like the damned Guardians...** ”   
The cannon fired a white-hot beam of energy, and she quickly folded the glider, free-falling rapidly as the beam blazed above her.   
< ** _It’s targeting us!_** > Teba called.   
< ** _No shit!_** > Pearl yelled back as she allowed the glider to lift her again. < ** _And here I thought it was inviting us out for dinner!_** >   
Teba soared past. < ** _I’ll draw it away! Just keep clear, and fire when you get the chance!_** > he swooped, and the targeting beam followed. 

Pearl soared through the icy air, alternating between releasing the glider and soaring up rapidly. Soon, she was within range of the cannon, and she quickly dropped into a free-fall to avoid a close-range hit. Twisting around, she hung upside down from the glider as she grabbed a bomb arrow and aimed in mid-air, striking the cannon. Grabbing another arrow, she quickly hit the cannon a second time, and it fizzled and crackled before exploding.   
< ** _Good shot!_** > Teba called, swooping closer. He grinned widely at her position. < ** _Although, I can’t say that I've ever seen that technique before!_** >   
Pearl shouldered the bow and swung up, grabbing the glider with both hands before she let her legs drop back down. < ** _Hey, if it works, it works!_** > she looked at Medoh. < ** _One down, let’s get to the second cannon!_** > she shouted back.   
Teba nodded and flapped his wings, rushing forward as Pearl followed. 

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A small crowd had gathered on the landing, all staring up into the sky.   
< ** _Teba_** ** _..._** > a Rito woman whispered, her left wing on the head of a small Rito boy. < ** _Please be safe..._** >   
One Rito shook his head. < ** _They must be crazy..._** >   
< ** _That_** ** _Hylian_** ** _can fly though..._** > his friend replied.   
< ** _Cor, that was a hell of a shot!_** > another shouted as another cannon exploded.   
Nearby, a Rito with a bandaged wing looked up towards the distant aerial battle. < ** _If anyone can do this,_** ** _Teba_** ** _, it’s you..._** > he murmured, eyes watching the small dots battle the beast above. 

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< ** _Okay, final cannon!_** > Teba called back.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Good, cause I'm tired of hanging around!_** > she replied, dangling from the glider with one hand, the other grasping the bow.   
Teba chuckled. < ** _The cold must be affecting my head... I’m starting to like you,_** ** _Hylian_** ** _! Even if you are crazy!_** >   
< ** _The feeling’s mutual, bird-brain!_** > Pearl grinned back. < ** _Now get your tail feathers moving, before I send a bomb into them myself!_** >   
Teba swooped and spun in mid-air. < ** _Ha!_** ** _Your aim’s not_** **that** ** _good!_** > he laughed.   
< ** _Wanna_** ** _take that chance?!_** > she retorted with a laugh. 

As the energy beam flashed past her, Pearl took aim and fire two arrows in rapid succession. With a crackle of electricity, the final cannon exploded, and the red energy shield faded rapidly out of existence as the beast shrieked.   
< ** _Wooo_** ** _!_** > Pearl cheered, elated.   
Teba swooped nearby. < ** _Well done, Pearl!_** > he called. < ** _That thing is_** ** _history_** ** _!_** >   
As they soared high above the grassy back of the Divine Beast, Pearl glanced over at Teba with a grin. Her eyes caught something strange, and she peered through the cold air. < ** _Teba_** ** _! Your leg!_** > she yelled. 

Teba glanced back at the burnt feathers on his left leg, red skin showing through and swooped closer to her. < ** _I know... Bad news... It looks like I got hit pretty good back there... I think... I think I need to get back to the Flight Range. I just hope that..._** > he sighed. < ** _I can make it back..._** >   
< ** _You will. You’re a tough old bird._** > Pearl smiled. < ** _Now got going! I don’t want you flying injured in the dark. It'll make landing with that leg a lot riskier._** >   
Teba chuckled. < ** _You head down to_** ** _Medoh_** ** _. Good luck! It's all you!_** > he nodded at her and dropped away. 

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“ **Woo-** **hoo** **!** ” Amethyst cheered as the shield dissipated.   
Around them, the various Rito all called and cheered loudly.   
They fell silent, watching as the two dots slowly circled the Divine Beast before one started to drop away. The other moved closer to the bird, going out of sight.   
“ **What happened?** ” Steven asked, concerned.   
Garnet shrugged. “ **I** **dunno** **... Maybe only Pearl can go in, so the Rito that helped her had to land...** ”   
Connie glanced up. “ **So, what happens now?** ”   
“ **We cross everything we’ve got, and wish her luck.** ” 

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Pearl landed on the back of the beast with a sigh. Looking around cautiously, she steered towards the edge of the beast, looking down carefully at the tiny speck making its way towards the ground. “ **Hope he’s okay...** ” she said as she folded up the glider, placing it in its holster behind her before she walked back towards the centre of the beast. “ **Oh, a pedestal!** ” she nodded, taking out the slate.   
< ** _Travel Gate registered to map._** >   
Pearl grinned as the symbol embedded in the floor behind her glow bright blue. “ **Cool, I can take a break and get back up here without having to fight it again.** ”   
< ** _Well now... I haven’t seen you before..._** >

Pearl whirled around, sword at the ready. < ** _Wha_** ** _?!_** > she muttered as the sword started glowing brightly.   
< ** _A descendant of Link, perhaps?_** > the mysterious voice asked.   
Pearl nervously shook her head. < ** _No... We’re_** ** _kinda_** ** _related, I guess, but... Not closely._** >   
< ** _And yet, you have his_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate and sword. Curious._** >   
Pearl turned, trying to find the source of the voice. < ** _Who are you?_** >   
< ** _Ha! That clueless expression. You must be more closely related than you think._** >   
Pearl frowned. < ** _Still haven’t answered my question..._** >   
< ** _I am_** ** _Revali_** ** _, Champion of the Rito._** >

< ** _… the dead for a hundred years, Champion?_** > Pearl’s eyes widened.   
Revali scoffed. < ** _I can’t believe_** **I’ve** ** _had to wait so long... Better late than never, I suppose. You’re here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?_** >   
Pearl nodded, relaxing slightly. < ** _Yeah, that’s the plan._** >   
< ** _If so, then the first thing you’ll want to do is find yourself a map. There's a Guidance Stone with the information for the layout of this Divine Beast. Can you make it there?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Sure. I got up here, finding a map should be easy._** >   
Revali fell silent, and Pearl got the impression that he doubted her ability. Looking up at the dark sky above, she rolled her eyes. “ **Well, I'm gonna sit and** **wait out the night** **. It’s not like he’s getting any deader.** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	35. Flying High

In the early morning light, Pearl turned and looked behind her towards Medoh’s tail. “ **Huh, what’s that?** ” Walking back, she spotted some thick purple goop, and beyond it, a single glowing yellow eyeball.   
Drawing her bow, she fired a regular arrow. The eyeball exploded, and the goop disappeared with it.   
Pearl stepped forwards and opened the chest. “ **Oh, hey... a sapphire...** ” she smiled, putting it into her bag. “ **Might be a good sign.** ” she added, turning back towards the travel gate. 

Inside, Pearl took out another eyeball, moving past the goop to examine the updraft beyond. “ **Okay, use that to reach that chest...** ” she nodded, pulling out the glider.   
Looking through the latticework, she frowned. “ **Another chest down there... I’ll get that latter.** ” she muttered, climbing up to retrieve the ancient core from the chest above.   
Looking through the scope, she spotted a small Guardian and the guidance stone beyond. “ **This isn’t so hard...** ” she sighed. “ **I’ll probably regret saying that later...** ” she grumbled as she glided down. 

As the Guardian exploded, Pearl gathered up the scattered parts and bagged them as she walked towards the guidance stone. “ **One map, please.** ”   
< ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate authenticated. Distilling map of Divine Beast._** >   
Pearl watched, humming along as the blue drop slowly gathered and fell onto the slate.   
< ** _Divine Beast controls have been enabled._** >   
“ **Uhh** **... I can control it already?** ” she mused. “ **Well, that was easy.** ”   
< ** _You’ll need to look closely at your map of the Divine Beast._** >

Pearl sighed. “ **Of course** **it wouldn’t be that easy... Silly me**.” < ** _What am I looking for?_** >   
< ** _The terminals that will activate_** ** _Medoh_** ** _are marked by those glowing points._** > Revali stated. < ** _You’ll need to activate all of the terminals to take back control. Think you’re up to it?_** > he added in a mocking tone.   
Pearl yawned loudly and stretched. < ** _Think I'll have a nap while I'm at it._** >

Walking back down the corridor, she looked to the right at the chest she had spotted earlier. Gliding across, she landed in front of it, collecting a bundle of bomb arrows. “ **Sweet. That'll replace the ones I used getting in here.** ”   
Turning, she looked down, spotting another glowing eyeball. She casually took aim and fired, watching it disappear with the surrounding goop to reveal another chest. “ **This bird’s full of treasure...** ” she mused as she pocketed the tiny machine part. “ **Kinda** **like the one that ate Steven...** ”   
Turning, she looked around, shrugging before returning to the updraft. 

“ **Hmm... Oh! I didn't see that before...** ” Gliding back to the platform where she had found the second chest, she looked up and shot the eyeball above her. This cleared the opening in front of her, and she jumped over.   
In this new room, she saw a strange mouth-like feature in the goop to her left. “ **Holy shit...** ” she stared as the skull of a Lizalfos came floating out. Nervously, she shot it with an arrow, and it disappeared. Soon after however, the mouth opened again, and a Moblin’s skull appeared. “ **Okay, need to stop that from happening...** ” she muttered. “ **Where’s the eyeball?** ”   
Jumping down to the right of the ramp, she cautiously looked behind the mouth. “ **There!** ” Drawing the bow, she fired, and the mouth disappeared. Behind it, she spotted a terminal. “ **Now, how am I** **gonna** **get up there?** ” 

Pearl looked behind her to the ramp, then back to the alcove with the terminal. Looking at her map, she nodded. “ **Got it.** ”   
Running back up the ramp, she tapped the screen, selecting the top marker. Looking up, she saw and felt the Divine Beast tilt, its right wing rising up. The alcove slowly dropped, until it settled below her as Medoh let out a shriek.   
Gliding over to the alcove, Pearl used the slate to access the terminal. “ **One down, four to go...** ”   
Turning, she dropped back down to the floor, walking up to the top of the opposite ramp. Nearby, she spotted another chest, and easily glided over to it, collecting the two-handed sword inside. 

Dropping down, and looking through the purple-tinted glass, she spotted another terminal. She then examined the round opening near the glowing yellow crystal. Shrugging, she used the slate, selecting a round bomb and dropping it into the hole. She watched as it rolled down to a large stone block, where she detonated it with a grin to reveal a large button.   
Looking around, she hit the crystal next to her, and a doorway in the room beyond open, allowing two strong gusts of wind to enter behind her and in the room beyond the metal gate. Shrugging, she dropped another bomb and detonated it, releasing a large metal ball.   
Opening the map, she decided to tilt Medoh the other way, allowing the ball to roll towards her. Switching to Magnesis, she moved the ball over and tilted Medoh again. The ball rolled forwards, hitting the large button, which open the metal gate in front of her. 

Whistling, Pearl walked forwards and activated the terminal.   
Looking around, she sighed. “ **Okay, now where do I go?** ” Examining the map, she frowned. “ **Hmm... Am I supposed to jump out the window?** ”   
Moving towards the now opened shutter opposite the first terminal, she squinted against the rushing wind. Just barely, she could see a platform below, with a pile of goop and an eyeball waiting for her. “ **Okay, I guess that’s right.** ”   
Landing, she took out the eyeball, revealing a fast-spinning fan creating a strong gust of wind. Under the belly of the beast, she spotted a second eyeball, and quickly walked over to destroy it too. Walking into the now unblocked doorway, she nodded. “ **Back to the first room. Good shortcut, I guess.** ” 

Turning, she used the scope to examine the small room under Medoh’s left wing. “ **There’s the next terminal...** ” Looking down, she shuddered. “ **Well, if I fall, I could probably make it to the top of the village spire. Or just warp back here in mid-air...** ”   
Pearl landed easily in front of the terminal. Quickly activating it, she turned and adjusted Medoh again, allowing her to glide safely back.   
Looking at the map, she nodded. “ **The last two terminals are... around the right wing. Okay, just** **gotta** **get there...** ” 

Running through the central room to the bird’s right side, she found a small ramp. Ahead, she could see another glowing eyeball. It took her several attempts to get the range of it, but finally, it was gone, and she glided over. Pausing to collect a few stray arrows, she looked at the strange contraption before heading up the ramp to find another terminal. “ **Okay, only one left now...** ” she sighed as she activated it. 

The metal gate nearby opened with a clang, and Pearl walked through into a new room. High above her, she spotted another mouth, the eyeball dangling nearby. Quickly, she shot it to avoid any skulls appearing. She jumped back with a yelp as a chest fell, landing almost exactly where she had been standing. “ **Damn, that was close...** ” she muttered, stepping forwards to collect some ice arrows. 

Further into the room, she saw another glowing crystal, some shutters, a large button and two metal grates. Shrugging, she hit the crystal, and the shutter opened. The large gust of wind hit two windmills near the ceiling, and the two metal grills rose up. The strange object between them slid back, and Pearl nodded.   
As Medoh tilted again, the object moved forwards rapidly, but one of the gates fell back down, stopping it from reaching the button. Pearl frowned. “ **Okay... Let’s try that again...** ”   
Tilting Medoh back, she watched as a small metal block came sliding down, the small windmill below. As it re-entered the wind stream, the gate slid up again. Pearl sighed. “ **Ah, there’s the problem...** **Magnesis** **will sort that out.** ” 

Tilting Medoh back to the left, she quickly used Magnesis on the metal block. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the ram slide down, slamming into the button at high speed. A metal gate nearby opened, and Pearl released the metal block. It slid down as she jogged towards the now opened door, going around the metal grate to find the final terminal. “ **This was actually pretty easy... So that’s concerning...** ” she muttered as she activated the terminal.   
< ** _That was the last terminal!_** > Revali’s voice cut in, sounding quite shocked. < ** _Now you just need to start the main control unit! I want you to take a good look at your map. There should be a new glowing point on there. Well? Flap to it!_** >   
Pearl shook her head. “ **Yeah, yeah...** **You can shut your flap, buddy...** ” she grumbled. 

Looking around, she spotted another chest above the button, and paused. “ **How can I get up there?... Hmm...** ” Looking higher up, she nodded. “ **Yeah, that should work.** ”   
Standing on the furthest window from the chest, she pulled out the glider and floated down. Passing through the wind gust, she caught some lift, and easily reached the chest, taking the bow from within. “ **Okay, time to blow this joint...** ” 

Dropping down into the central room, she jogged back to the updraft. Catching some air, she soared high above, landing near a large structure that was pulsing with orange light.   
Looking up at the night sky, she sighed as her stomach grumbled. “ **Okay, this was all too easy... I'm getting the horrible suspicion that there’s some horrible monster waiting to jump out at me.** ” she shook her head. “ **I’ll do a quick look around here, then I should rest up for a bit** **, have something to eat** **.** ”   
Going around it, she briefly explored the area. She found the strange surface impossible to climb, and moved towards Medoh’s head with a frown. In the distance, she spotted a faint orange glow and used the scope. “ **Oh! There's another chest over there...** ” she examined the bird’s neck. “ **But, how can I get there without climbing... Hmm...** ” putting the slate away, she looked at the updraft directly in front of her. With a shrug, she jumped into it with the glider, soaring up a short distance. At the peak, she moved forward, landing on the top of Medoh’s eye. Cautiously, she jumped up and over, creeping towards the tiny head and the chest that sat on top. 

Finally, she dropped down with a pant. “ **Stars, this better be worth it...** ” she muttered as she knelt to open the chest. Pulling out a giant ancient core, she shrugged. “ **Ehhh** **... I guess...** ” she sighed as she put it into her bag. “ **Maybe Robbie’s machine can turn it onto something interesting...** ”   
Turning back towards Medoh’s body, she noted the two wind gusts blowing from the fans below. “ **Well, at least it’ll be easier getting back...** ” 


	36. Windblight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. I spent the weekend putting together an IKEA closet for my mother. It took two days, cause of my arthritis, and the fact that I was working alone...

Pearl sighed and wiped her mouth. “ **Okay, that’s much better.** ” Stuffing the bowl into her bag, she stood. “ **Right, here’s hoping I was wrong about it being too easy...** ” she muttered as she walked over to the main control unit, which was still pulsing with orange light. 

As she reached the slate out towards the device, red and black tendrils suddenly poured out of the control unit. Pearl took a few rapid steps back in shock, watching as they gathered around the unit, blocking it off. From all around, she saw blue streaks of light, and could only watched as they gathered in a loose ball above her. A shape took form, and her eyes widened at the ancient-looking beast with dark red hair formed above. One arm was much larger than the other, and ended with a large cannon. It looked down and roared at her.   
The voice of Revali piped on. < ** _Good luck! That thing is one of_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _own, and it plays dirty! It defeated me one hundred years ago... but only because I was winging it._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes at his inability to admit to a weakness.   
< ** _I can’t I'm actually saying this..._** > he muttered. < ** _But you must avenge me!_** >

“ **Sometimes, I hate being right...** ” she groaned, drawing the Master Sword from its sheath. Her gaze flickered between the beast ahead and the glowing blue aura around the blade. “ **Huh... it really does glow in the presence of evil... I though the** **Deku** **Tree was just being poetic...** ” 

The beast started to teleport, and Revali shouted < ** _It’s aim is dead on! Watch yourself!_** >   
It appeared in a new spot and a small tornado formed in front of it. It slowly started making its way to Pearl, and she sprinted past it as the beast teleported again. Pearl veered off, as it lifted its oversized arm. Pearl ran and ducked under its arm as it fired several energy blasts behind her. She quickly slammed her sword into everything that she could reach, and after a few strikes, the beast faltered.   
< ** _Not bad!_** > Revali called. 

The beast teleported again, and gave a mighty roar.   
“ **Oh-ho! Now you’re angry with me, huh?** ” Pearl grinned, Master Sword held in front of her. “ **Well, bring it**!”   
Several small devices came out of the beasts back, and Pearl eyed them off nervously. “ **What are they for?** ”   
The beast summoned two tornados, which quickly flanked her, and Pearl felt herself being lifted up, the fierce winds whipping her hair into her face, making her scrunch up her eyes. She suddenly fell to the ground, slamming into it painfully, and she coughed and wheezed.   
The beast teleported again, and Pearl stumbled to her feet, amazed to find the sword still in her hand. Looking at a nearby updraft, she rushed towards it as she pulled out the glider. 

Yanking out her bow, she fired an arrow at the beast’s eye. It fell to the ground, stunned, and Pearl dropped. She stumbled and rushed towards the beast, but just as quickly, it recovered, teleporting away.   
Pearl moved towards the other updraft and watched as the beast started to reappear. She quickly took to the air again, firing another arrow.   
The beats fell again, and she wasted no time, gliding towards it. She yelled as she dropped down, Master Sword in hand, slamming into the beasts' face. She followed up with another quick strike and a slash. 

The beast suddenly teleported, and Pearl growled as she followed it. It appeared on the other side of the area, and Pearl rushed towards it. She saw a thin red beam appear and picked up speed as the energy blast charged.   
“ **Arrrrggghhhh** **!** ” Leaping into the air, Pearl slammed the sword into the beasts’ head as she roared. 

With a high-pitched shriek, the beast reared back, dissolving into motes of blue light. It reappeared above the control console, shaking and flickering. It gave a pained roar as thick black streams of energy burst from its sides. It seemed to explode into purple and red light, and she could only watch as a bright red heart-shaped container slowly drifted down. 

Pearl cautiously walked over, sheathing her sword. “ **Okay, that was a thing that happened...** ” she sighed, touching the container. It glowed and turned into a stream of red light that flowed into her chest, and she watched as her small cuts rapidly closed up.   
Looking at the control until, Pearl shrugged and walked over.   
< ** _Once you activate the main control unit, you will not be able to_** ** _reenter_** ** _the interior of this Divine Beast. Do you still wish to activate it?_** >   
Pearl looked around. “ **Um... I think I've gotten everything worth getting... Yeah, let’s do this.** ” she tapped the slate to the control unit. 

The entire device turned a bright and steady blue, and Pearl nodded.   
< ** _Well, I'll be plucked... You defeated him, eh?_** >   
She turned, and her eyes widened at the sight of a Rito, green flames glowing softly around his feet.   
< ** _Who would have thought..._** > the ghost of Revali said. 

< ** _Well done. I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns_** ** _Medoh_** ** _back it its rightful owner!_** >   
Pearl resisted the urge to roll her eyes. ‘ _Well, someone’s arrogant..._ ’   
Revali turned away. < ** _But, don’t preen yourself just for doing your job. Or perhaps that should be... your relative’s job._** > he looked aside at her. < ** _I do suppose you’ve proven your value as a warrior. A warrior worthy of my unique ability! The sacred skill that I had dubbed_** ** _Revali’s_** ** _Gale!_** >

Pearl groaned internally. ‘ _Wow... this guy... Ugh..._ ’   
He struck some poses and let out a call, and a small green medallion suddenly appeared. Pearl caught it in one hand before it struck her, and she suddenly felt herself being lifted off her feet. For a brief moment she hung there, eyes wide, before she gently dropped back to the floor. She examined the medallion with curiosity. “ **Whoa...** ”   
Revali smirked knowingly at her before he turned his back to her. < ** _It’s now time to move on and start_** ** _making preparations_** ** _for_** ** _Medoh’s_** ** _strike on_** ** _Ganon_** ** _. But only if you think you’ll still need my help while you’re fighting inside Hyrule Castle. Feel free to thank me now._** > he turned and grinned at her.   
Pearl stared at him, her face completely deadpan.   
Revali smiled and shook his head. < ** _Or... Never mind. Just go._** > he said softly. 

As Pearl saw the small motes of white light appear all over her, Revali glanced at her again. < ** _Your job is far from_ ** **_finished,_ ** **_you know. The princess has been waiting for an awful long time._** > she heard as she was spirited away. 

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“ **Okay, this looks like a decent spot to have lunch.** ” Amethyst noted.   
Steven nodded. “ **Yeah! There's a great view, and we can keep an eye on the bird.** ” he looked up at the mechanical beast soaring high above them.   
The all settled down on the wooden planks of Revali’s Landing, their bowls in hand as they begin to eat. 

Above, Medoh suddenly tilted and veered towards the large rock spire the village was built around.   
“ **Holy... Uh...** **Guys?...** ” Connie pointed up nervously. “ **Something’s happening...** ”   
They watched as the legs beneath the beast shifted and changed, the beast closing in on the village.   
“ **Is it attacking the village?** ” Steven asked nervously.   
Garnet watched it carefully as it lifted into a vertical position, feet outstretched. “ **I don’t think so...** ” she muttered. “ **I think... it’s landing...** ” 

There was a shower of rocks as the bird made contact with the spire, its feet gripping into the narrowest part.   
Below, several Rito looked up in a panic, some taking to the air and flying just a short distance away from Medoh’s reach, their eyes darting fearfully.   
Medoh stood bolt upright, the fans along its wings slowing and stopping. From the tip of its beak, a red energy gathered and suddenly shot out towards the distant castle. 

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On top of Medoh, Revali stood he gazed out over Hyrule, his eyes glancing down towards the village below. < ** _Medoh’s_ ** **_sights are now set. You'll have a precise bead on_ ** **_Ganon_ ** **_from this vantage point. And when the time is right, give him everything you’ve got! Now we wait for that perfect moment._** > he laughed softly. < ** _Medoh_ ** **_, we’ve been artfully patient for these last one hundred years. I doubt you’ll suffer a feather over a few more moments..._** > he sighed heavily. < ** _After all of these years, I simply must admit the truth...Even without the power of flight, a_ ** **_Hylian_ ** **_made her way to this Divine Beast... And accomplished something that even I could not... Guess I was wrong about... Link, and how lucky he would be. Having a relative who was capable of such strength. I hope that luck holds out, Link. And you, Pearl... For_ ** **_everyone's_ ** **_sake._** >

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As they looked up at the Divine Beast now settled atop the village spire, a bright white light appeared. Scrambling, they moved out of the way, food forgotten as a form took shape. With a flash of light and a shower of sparkles, Pearl appeared with a sigh, her back towards them. She glanced at the small green medallion in her hand. She nodded and crouched, leaping into the air as a mighty gust of wind rushed up, carrying her far above them.   
“ **Whoa...** ” Connie breathed. “ **That’s cool...** ”   
Amethyst nodded. “ **She couldn’t do that before...** ”   
“ **Magic...** ” Steven whispered, his eyes sparkling. 

After a moment, Pearl gently glided back down. Sighing, she put the medallion into her bag and tucked away the glider.   
“ **Pearl.** ” Garnet called, and Pearl turned, one hand reaching up for her sword.   
She looked around at them for a moment before turning and craning her head back, looking up at Medoh. She turned back with a thumbs up. “ **One down, three to go.** ” she grinned.   
Amethyst rushed forwards and wrapped her in a hug, Steven right behind her. Pearl laughed and hugged them back as Garnet walked over and placed a hand on the thinner gem’s shoulder.   
“ **Your hair’s a mess...** ” she said, not mentioning the red gem on the head-dress.   
Pearl reached up and ran a hand through her hair, attempting to resettle it into her familiar style. “ **Yeah, give me a break... It was pretty windy up there.** ” her hand brushed against the gem, and she paused. “ **... and cold...** ” she blushed. 

Connie gave Pearl a grin. “ **How did you make that updraft just now? Cause that was** ** _really_** **cool.** ”   
Pearl laughed and took the green medallion out of her bag. “ **Uh,** **Revali** **... Or well, his ghost at least, gave me this for freeing him and** **Medoh** **from** **Ganon’s** **control. He called it** **Revali’s** **Gale. He had a bit of an ego...** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **I assume it’s some sort of magic he developed when he was alive, and this is the physical form of it... I** **dunno** **...** ” she shrugged, putting it away again. “ **But yeah, it’s pretty cool.** ”   
< ** _Descendant of the Champion!_** >

They turned to see a Rito standing nearby, watching them nervously.   
< ** _Oh, uh... yes?_** > Pearl asked.   
The Rito half-bowed. < ** _The elder wishes to speak with you as soon as possible._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. I'll be there shortly._** >   
As the Rito left, Pearl shrugged. “ **I’d better go see what he wants.** ”   
“ **Have you eaten yet? We were having lunch; you can share mine.** ” Amethyst quickly said.   
Pearl smiled, shaking her head. “ **Sorry, no. I grabbed a meal up there.** ” she pointed up at the bird. “ **But,** **I do need to run a quick errand. I’ll be back as soon as possible.** ” she said, taking out the slate. 

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Pearl ran along the path, the wooden shack ahead coming into view. Climbing the ladder, she looked in, finding Teba sitting beside the cooking pot. < ** _Teba_** ** _._** > she said softly, climbing into the shack.   
< ** _Pearl! You're still alive!_** >   
Pearl laughed. < ** _Yeah! It’ll take far worse than that to kill me._** ** _Medoh’s_** ** _settled down. It's sitting on top of the village now, actually._** >   
Teba scoffed. < ** _I don’t believe you..._** > he shifted and winced, the burn on his leg painfully red.   
Pearl crouched down. < ** _Hey, be careful..._** >

Teba sighed. < ** _I can’t believe it got me..._** > he groaned painfully. < ** _My leg is in worse shape than I thought. And I was so close to stopping Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _... Dammit!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Don’t worry about_** ** _Medoh_** ** _, I told you, it’s been handled. Come on._** > she stood and offered a hand. < ** _Let’s get you home, before your wife and son start to worry._** >   
Teba looked up at her for a moment before sighing and taking her hand.   
Pearl pulled him to his feet with a grunt. < ** _Whoa... you’re heavier than you look._** > she muttered.   
< ** _And you expect to be able to carry me back to the village?_** > Teba smirked.   
Pearl shook her head, pulling out the slate with her free hand. < ** _Nope. We're going back in style._** > she grinned, selecting Rito Village on the map. 

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As they appeared on the shrine’s platform, Teba stumbled slightly. Pearl quickly shifted to support him as he looked around wide-eyed.   
< ** _Wha_** ** _?! What just...?_** > he stared around.   
Pearl laughed. < ** _I can't fly, but I can warp. Much quicker, actually. I can get over to_** ** _Akkala_** ** _in seconds like this. Come on. Now I just need to get you along here, and up a flight of stairs._** >

As they neared the stairs, Garnet approached them. “ **Need a hand?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, this guy’s heavier than he looks...** ” < ** _Teba_** ** _, this is one of my friends, Garnet. She's going to help get you up the stairs, okay?_** >   
Teba nodded. < ** _Okay..._** >   
As Garnet took Pearl’s place and gently started guiding Teba up the stairs, Pearl turned to the others.   
“ **Who’s** **ya** **friend?** ” Amethyst asked, nodding towards the Rito.   
Pearl glanced back. “ **His name is** **Teba** **. He was the one who helped me reach** **Medoh** **. He got injured by an energy blast when we were trying to get past the shield. He lives just next door to the elder, and I wanted to make sure he got back to his wife and kid.** ”   
Steven looked up at him. “ **Should I try to heal him?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah. Just let him get home. Let his wife will yell at him about recklessly taking on giant robots first. Then you can heal him.** ” she smirked. 

As Garnet and Pearl helped Teba settled onto the floor, his wife stood nearby nervously. < ** _Teba_** ** _! Are you okay?_** >   
Teba laughed softly. < ** _Yeah Saki... I’ll be fine..._** > he glanced at the small Rito boy nearby. < ** _Tulin_** ** _... Once I'm healed up, and your mother lets me leave the house again... we can go to the flight range, okay?_** >   
< ** _Okay dad..._** > he sniffed.   
Pearl stepped forwards. < ** _Actually, Steven here does have healing powers. We don’t know if they work on a Rito, as Harth wasn’t interested in talking to us, but he’d like to try._** >   
Steven nodded, stepping to stand beside Pearl. < ** _Hello. Can I...?_** > he pointed at Teba’s injured leg.   
Teba glanced up at Pearl, who nodded. < ** _He healed me a while ago. It's very quick, although, you may find it a little gross... But you’ll be on both feet much faster. Provided it works on Rito..._** >   
Teba glanced up at Saki, who gave a quick nod. < ** _Please..._** >

Teba grimaced as Steven’s saliva-coated hand made contact. As he pulled his hand away, the group watched as the red skin around the wound lightened, the burn rapidly closing up. They gave a quick gasped as thin tendrils poked out, and watched in awe as feathers soon grew in, covering up the area.   
< ** _Whoa..._** > Teba breathed, poking the area gently at first, then with more force. < ** _That’s incredible._** >   
Pearl smiled, placing a head on Stevens’ head and ruffling his hair. < ** _Yeah, he is._** > she said fondly. She then looked next door to see Kaneli watching them. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... The elder is still waiting to speak with me, so..._** ** _Teba_** ** _, thank you for everything._** >   
He stood and wrapped her in a quick hug. < ** _Thank you, Pearl. You've helped to protect my village, and my family. Now go. We can't keep the elder waiting._** >

Walking to the next hut, Pearl stood before the large owl-like Rito. < ** _You sent for me?_** >   
< ** _You have done it! And you survived, at that! You conquered Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _!_** > he glanced up. < ** _And, your son has healed one of our finest warriors._** >   
Pearl nervously glanced at Steven. “ **They also think that I’m Link’s descendant. It's just easier not to argue... No point wasting time trying to explain.** ” she shrugged.   
< ** _To think the beast has taken up roost at the top of the village! It looks simply... divine. If the legends are true, ‘_** **the light from the Divine Beasts will ravage the Calamity.** ** _’ For now, Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _will become the protector of this village and live on in legend... alongside you._** >   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Oh! Um... Thank you..._** >   
Kaneli laughed gently. < ** _… OH yes! Of course! I must reward you properly!_** > he pointed at a small wooden chest nearby. < ** _Feel free to take what you find in that treasure chest. You will get more use out of it than I._** >

Kaneli leaned forward. < ** _Champion descendant... I have only just realized. That sword you have in your possession... Could it be the sword that seals the darkness? The_** ** _Hylian_** ** _Champion who fought alongside Master_** ** _Revali_** ** _one hundred years ago... Could... that be your ancestor?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Sure._** > “ **Let’s go with that.** ” She then walked over and opened the chest, finding a bow inside. She looked back at Kaneli.   
< ** _That bow I gave you is the finest in the land, crafted in the Rito tradition. The Champion_** ** _Revali_** ** _once called it his own. I will not lie – the bow is difficult to handle. No Rito alive is capable of using it to its full potential. Fortunately, our bowyer, Harth, knows the bow well. You should talk to him for details._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you._** > she said, placing it gently into her bag. 

After leaving the elders hut, they waved at Teba who was hugging his son and continued down, stopping at Revali’s Landing.   
“ **So, now what?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Honestly, I’m taking a couple of days off. Maybe after that though, I'll probably go north. There was a tower up there that I couldn’t reach before. You can** **kinda** **see it from here actually.** ” she pointed out, and they looked.   
Just above the distant mountainside, underneath and to the left of Medoh’s targeting beam they could just see the top of a tower, faintly glowing orange.   
“ **Oh yeah, I see it!** ” Steven nodded.   
Pearl smiled. “ **It was too cold** **, and I had to retreat** **.** **But now that I have some cold protection, it shouldn’t be a problem. If I find a shrine along the way, I'll clear it, but otherwise... I should be back fairly quickly.** ” she looked around. “ **Although... there’s a goddess statue near the entrance to the village that I'd like to check first, before I forget. Now that I have the sword, I might get some more stamina this time...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	37. Flight and Frost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, managed to get access back.  
> Without any help from the site owners... Still waiting for a reply to the multiple messages, actually. Wankers...
> 
> Anyway, I'll try to keep on schedule from now on.

**Days in Hyrule... 106...**

Pearl adjusted the strap with practised ease. “ **Okay guys, I'm about ready to head out. I shouldn’t be gone too long... I just need to track down that missing kid, figure out that song about the ‘** ** _shining heart_** **’, whatever that means, then go and activate that tower. It probably won’t take too long, to be honest...** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Okay, stay safe.** ”   
“ **Will do.** ” she ruffled his hair fondly.   
Amethyst gave her a quick kiss. “ **Good luck...** ”   
Pearl blushed. “ **Thanks...** ” she stepped back and pulled out the slate, selecting the Sha Warvo shrine. After a moment, she disappeared in a stream of lights. 

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Pearl immediately turned and climbed over the cliffs, heading south towards her set beacon. After a short distance, she paused, checking for monsters before she dropped down to the path below.   
Continuing south, she spotted the strange stone structures ahead. Nearby, she saw the small Rito girl and the low flat dais of a potential shrine, and nodded. 

< ** _Hey there..._** > Pearl called.   
The little Rito stomped her feet and growled loudly. < ** _My sisters are dumb DUMMIES! They promised we’d rehearse together, but NO ONE showed up!_** > she sighed sadly. < ** _We have to perform our song for the elder at Warbler’s nest! We're going to be laughed off the stage..._** > she glanced up at Pearl. < ** _Hey, you... You look like I can use you..._** >   
Pearl warily looked down at the girl. “ **Well, that’s not ominous at all...** ” she muttered sarcastically.   
< ** _Thaaaat_** ** _is to say... you look like a nice lady who likes to help people in need._** >   
Pearl couldn’t help but laugh. “ **Nice save, kid...** ” < ** _I could be, I could be... What do you need?_** >   
Her face lit up. < ** _Can you go tell my sisters in Rito Village to stop ditching rehearsal? They won’t listen to me, but they might listen to a scary-looking_** ** _Hylian_** ** _like you._** >   
Pearl chuckled. “ **A moment ago, I was nice-looking...** ”   
< ** _Although,_** ** _Genli_** ** _might be a tough sell. She's probably in the kitchen yelling, ‘_** **I want some salmon meuniere!** ** _’ … or something like that. She doesn’t want to sing either... She’s such a pain!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Alright, I’ll go have a look for them._** >

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Pearl walked along the path south of the village. “ **Hmm, I might as well** **try** **to figure out that song clue... ‘** ** _Pride of the Rito, pillar in the sky_ ** **’... That’d be the Rito spire... ‘** ** _heart lights up_ ** **’...** ” she paused, looking at the spire. “ **There is that hole there... so I have to find where it looks like a heart and stand there... ‘** ** _warming flame_ ** **’... I** **gotta** **set fire to something.** ” 

Pearl located the flat dais just to the north of the path. Looking up at the Rito spire, she nodded. “ **Yep, that’s a heart. Okay... Let’s see... ‘** ** _heart shines upon a path not whole..._** **’** ” she paused, thinking. “ **Maybe... when the shadow of the spire reaches this spot?** ” Looking around, she shrugged. “ **Okay, I guess I'll wait.** ” 

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As the shadow fell over the dais, Pearl waited as the bright heart-shaped spot slid closer. “ **Ah! I see. That has to hit the dais, then I set it on fire.** ”   
When the dais began to glow orange, Pearl drew her bow, the fire arrow burning brightly. Taking aim, she fired it at the centre of the dais.   
It burned rapidly, and the dais glowed bright blue. She immediately dropped to her knees, and seconds later, the ground began to shake as the shrine rose from the earth nearby. When the shaking subsided, Pearl stood, smiling. “ **Too easy...** ” she grinned, walking towards the new shrine. 

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Standing outside the shrine, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, now to find those girls. I can get the others to help out.** ” she said, selecting the Rito Village. 

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“ **So** **you see, that’s why I need your help.** ” Pearl finished. “ **I’m pretty sure there’s another shrine hidden there, and this song of theirs will make it appear.** ”   
Steven and Connie both nodded. “ **Okay, we’ll help.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **I can find the kitchen girl. I'll yell if I need any stuff for the meal she wants.** ” she paused. “ **What was it again?** ”   
“ **Salmon meuniere.** ” Pearl paused. “ **I think...** ”   
Amethyst nodded. “ **Ah! I think I know how to make that.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay. I’ll climb up and look around. If I spot any of the girls, I’ll give a whistle and point you over to them.** ” 

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As the sun dropped low in the sky, they regrouped at Revali’s Landing.   
“ **Well, I found one up on the cliff up there... How’d you guys go?** ”   
“ **I found one at the general store. I reminded her about the** **rehearsal, so she gave me some butter for** **Genli** **and flew off.** ” Steven sighed.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah. There was another all the way down the bottom of the village, trying to catch some fish. She gave me a huge salmon for her sister.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **After you tossed me the bundle of wheat, I passed it off to Amethyst.** ”   
“ **She was whining about being hungry, so I after they all gave me the stuff, I cooked it up for her.** ” Amethyst nodded. “ **T** **hat girl had one heck of an appetite. She scoffed the lot and flew off.** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, they’re all probably at Warbler’s Nest now. If I head there quickly enough, I can open up that shrine.** ” she looked up. “ **If I glide from up there, I should be able to make it before sundown.** ” 

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< ** _Ooh,_** ** _ohh_** ** _... Thanks for getting my sisters here! You_** ** _wanna_** ** _know what we’re singing? Well, the elder said... It’s a song passed down in the Rito Village that was once sung at Warbler’s Nest in ancient times. If you didn’t know, Warbler’s Nest is the big stone platform with the pillars behind us. The lyrics don’t make a lot of sense, but there’s one line in particular that always catches my ear..._** > she took a breath and sang softly. < ** _When wind convinces the rocks to sing, open the monk’s door will swing._** > she sighed. < ** _What do you that that means? What's a monk? Oh! And I almost forgot! I got you a little something. Just a small thanks for bringing all of my sisters here. Ta-da! A_** ** _Korok_** ** _Leaf!_** > she held out the large leaf. < ** _Why don’t you swing it at Warbler’s Nest! It makes a great sound!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay..._** >

Pearl stood and listened to their song for a moment, trying to find a clue. “ **Hmm... Maybe that’s it...** ”   
She stepped onto the dais and swung the leaf as hard as she could in the direction of one of the pillars. As the gust blew through the hole in the centre of the pillar, it makes a low noise. She continued around, finally ending on the pillar with the single small spire on top.   
As the ground began to shake, she took a knee, turning her head slightly as the girls behind her stifled screams and took to the air, waiting just above the ground. 

Once the shaking had subsided, Pearl stood, and the girls came back down. < ** _Wow! Hey look, guys!_** > Kheel called out to her sisters.   
They all stared in shock and wonder at the shrine that had appeared.   
< ** _Huh? Was that weird-looking house always there?_** > the pink feathered one nervously asked.   
The yellow one shook her head vigorously. < ** _No, that’s that ‘shrine’ thing that the elder was talking about!_** >   
< ** _So cool!_** > the green one exclaimed. < ** _Who knew Warbler’s nest was keeping a secret like that!_** >   
< ** _Let’s tell mom!_** >   
They all nodded. < ** _Yeah, let’s!_** > as a group, they turned towards the spire.   
< ** _See_** ** _ya_** ** _later!_** > Kheel looked back and waved before they all flew back to the village.   
Pearl waved at them briefly. “ **Okay, I’ll do this shrine, then head back to the village for the night. The tower will have to wait until morning...** ” 

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With the sun just barely lighting up the sky, Pearl stood. “ **Okay guys. I'm heading north towards that tower today. You should be able to see when it lights up.** ”   
“ **Good luck.** ” Garnet smiled.   
Pearl looked up at the Divine Beast perched high above. “ **I’m** **gonna** **glide from up there. Extra height means that I can glide further.** ” 

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As she glided towards the waterfall, she aimed for a small ledge sticking out beyond the stable below. With her last ounce of strength, she reached for the top, just scrambling up.   
A Chu seeped out of the ground, and she gave a groan, drawing her bow and shooting it. “ **I’m never doing that again...** ” she muttered, catching her breath. 

Walking towards the tower, she paused. “ **Oh crap, the sensor!** ” she quickly reactivated it with a sigh.   
She was glad she did, because a short distance later, it started to beep.   
“ **Huh, good timing that.** ” she mused. “ **It’s... the same way as the tower, good. I’ll do it along the way.** ” 

As she climbed alongside the small waterfall, she looked around with a frown. “ **Okay, it should be around here somewhere...** ”   
Spotting an opening in the rock ahead, she shifted closer, keeping on wary eye on the small monster camp nearby. “ **Huh... something there...** ” she whispered. “ **A** **faint** **tinge of orange on the water... The shrine? The current’s flowing the wrong way though, I'd never reach it... Maybe I can get in on the other side?** ” 

Walking along the other side, she knelt down. “ **Yeah, that’s the shrine... Getting there will be a bitch though... that water looks pretty cold...** ”   
Finally, she found the place where water rushed into the small cavern. “ **Hmm... If I put an ice block in there, I can cling to it for at least a little while...** ” she nodded, pulling out the slate. 

As she hopped into the water, the cold hit her like a sledgehammer. Shivering, she allowed the current to wash her down towards the ice block. Scrambling up, she paused, panting and shaking. “ **C-c-crap, -t-t-that’s c-c-c-c-cold...** ” she stammered, reaching for a Flameblade to warm herself with.   
After a moment, she sighed. “ **Okay... Another block... then freeze my non-existent tits off again...** ” 

Finally, she reached the shrine and started a small fire with some wood and the Flamesword. “ **I am n-n-never d-d-d-doing t-t-that ag-g-gain...** ”   
Warmed up slightly, she stood. “ **Okay, this better be worth it...** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, she sighed. “ **Figures getting there would be the challenge...** ” she muttered. “ **Speaking of getting there, I should get to the tower...** ” she checked the time on her slate. “ **... first thing in the morning.** ” 


	38. Ice Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally managed to figure out how to fix the issue, and get access back.  
> Such a bloody relief, I'll tell you that much...
> 
> As usual when I miss an update, pop back a chapter, as I've replaced the notice with the actual chapter now.

Checking the clock, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, time to head back up.** ” she said, stepping back onto the shrines lift. 

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Outside, she noted the two small logs lying on the stone nearby. “ **Good,** **cause** **I am** ** _not_** **getting back in the water...** ” she muttered, pushing one in and jumping on.   
The current carried her out, and she soon realised with a groan that she was going towards the waterfall. “ **Not again...** ” she sighed, dreading another soaking. Pausing, she reached into her bag and drew out the small green medallion Revali had given her. She crouched, but nothing happened. “ **Figures...** ” she muttered, leaping towards the last patch of solid ground before the waterfall. 

Holding her Flamesword again, she sighed. “ **Glad I decided to keep hold of this...** ”   
Once she had warmed up enough, she walked up and over the shrine’s cavern. She encountered some small ice-covered rock creatures, and easily dispatched them with the sledgehammer. 

Nearing the crooked wooden flagpole, the slate picked up on another shrine, its signal weak. Pearl paused, but could not get a strong signal no matter which way she turned. “ **Okay, I’ll find that one later...** ” she muttered, turning back towards the tower. 

Gliding over towards the tower, she noted the large spikes of ice surrounding the base. Landing, she nervously drew near, feeling the sheer cold emanating from them. A glint caught her eye, and she spotted a shrine glowing in the distance, a stable close by. “ **Oh!** **Gotta** **try and reach that.** ” she said, taking out the slate and placing a beacon for later. “ **But first, this tower...** ” 

Pearl circled the tower, finding it completely surrounded by ice. “ **Okay,** **gotta** **melt at least one of these...** ” she shrugged. “ **Fire arrows it is.** ” she drew her bow and fired three arrows, each melting a significant amount of the ice that she targeted. A fourth shot cleared enough room for her to get past, and she immediately began climbing up the lattice. 

After activating the tower, Pearl sighed and looked out over a frozen landscape. “ **Wow... what happened to that mountain?** ” she whistled lowly. “ **A meteor perhaps? Or is it something left over from the Calamity?** ” she shrugged, taking out the slate. “ **Well, it’s something I’ll probably have to check out at some point, so I'd better set a beacon for later.** ”   
Looking over the edge, she spotted the lights of a building far below the tower. “ **Wha** **!? Someone's actually crazy enough to live out here?!** ” she shook her head. “ **Then again, this is Hyrule...** ” she sighed. “ **Well, I'll check out that stable first, then the local wacko.** ” 

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After leaving the shrine, Pearl walked the short distance to the stable. At the entrance she spotted Beedle shivering and rubbing his hands.   
< ** _Oh,_** ** _Hiii_** ** _!_** > he called. < ** _I didn’t really dress for the weather here, but the world needs Beedle’s goods!_** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Just don’t make yourself sick._** > she said as he pulled out his wares. 

After buying more arrows, Pearl went inside. An old man stood, and he glanced at Pearl as she entered. < ** _A traveller, eh? Can you spare a minute to listen to a bored, old retiree tell you a story?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Sure, what kind of story?_** >   
He sighed. < ** _When you get to be my age, you start reminiscing about all the memories from your childhood. Heh, to be honest, growing up out in the middle of nowhere... Well, there weren’t really other kids around. My only friends were Harry and Mary. I remember playing with Harry out in the maze, and Mary out by the ruins..._** >   
Pearl titled her head. < ** _Maze?_** >   
He chuckled. < ** _There’s an enormous maze beyond the_** ** _Tabantha_** ** _Tundra just north of here. I don’t know who built it or when. The adults always said not to go near it. They said it was too dangerous there._** > he sighed heavily. < ** _One day, I urged Harry to go into the maze as a test of courage. I... I never saw him again. I learned the hard way that it really is dangerous there. Children have no real sense of danger, I suppose..._** > he shook his head. < ** _To this day, the mere memory breaks my heart._** >

Pearl nodded. < ** _I did some horribly ridiculous things when I was young. I thought I was invincible..._** > she sighed. < ** _I almost hate to ask, but... what about Mary?_** >   
He nodded. < ** _Maybe you’ve seen that big canyon to the southeast. There are some secret ruins down at the base of that valley. I don’t know who built them or when. The adults told me that was dangerous too... One day Mary and I went out there to explore and search for the ruins. In the blink of an eye, Mary lost her footing. She slipped and tumbled down the cliff. I... I never saw her again._** > he shook his head sadly. < ** _Sometimes a child’s innocent curiosity can cause tragedies that can never be taken back. That memory will haunt me until my dying day..._** > he sighed. < ** _As I grew older, I learned to overcome my grief over losing them. You can’t change the past, only the future. Harry and Mary never made it back, but two of their descendants are in that stall over there._** > he pointed towards the horses.   
Pearl stared. < ** _Harry and Mary were...?_** >   
He chuckled. < ** _My only friends out in these parts were horses, you see. I suppose that’s still true to this day._** >

Pearl walked away, sighing. “ **Old men,** **yesh** **...** ” she shook her head. “ **Well, at least he gave me a couple of leads on some places.** ” she checked her map. “ **Yeah, there’s the maze... and... yeah. Forgotten Temple. Let’s see... Eh, I’ll follow the path around the north of the canyon, check out the area from above. No way that I’m actually going into it just yet...** ” 

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Pearl walked along, peering down into the canyon at regular intervals. “ **Hmm... pretty extensive ruins...** ” Waving a hand, she managed to clear some of the mist before she took out the slate. “ **A decayed Guardian there... Can’t tell if it’s still active at this distance, but...** ” she shook her head. “ **No, this can wait.** ” she sighed, changing to the map screen. “ **Let’s see... Well, I could check that place out now...** ” 

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Pearl sighed as she sheltered under the large fungus above. “ **Great, just great... Looks like a magical storm too. But what did I expect from a place called the** **Thundra** **Plateau? That voice did say there was a shrine waiting here though...** ” she shook her head. “ **Looks like I have no choice. It better be worth it though.** ” 

She stood on the stone dragon, looking at the glowing red orb curiously. “ **Okay, where do you go?** ” she muttered. Looking around with the scope, she spotted a glowing green orb of top of another stone dragon, on the stone platform in the middle of the area. “ **Over there, huh? Well, I could send it over with Stasis, but I'd need a metal weapon...** ” she winced at the large flash of lighting as it struck the ground to her left. “ **Which would be a terrible idea right now...** ” she sighed. 

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As her Forest Dweller’s spear broke, Stasis wore off. The orange orb was sent flying to join the red one on the plateau ahead. Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, now I've got to get up there, and find out what these orbs are for...** ” 

Reaching the centre of the plateau, she looked around. “ **Ah, I see. Get the orbs into the slots. Match the colours... Okay, I'd better grab that green one up there before I start...** ” 

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As the last orb rolled into place, Pearl instinctively dropped to a crouch, bracing herself. Sure enough, the ground started to shake, and the shrine appeared in the centre of the four stone towers.   
Standing, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, that was tricky. Maybe this’ll be an easy shrine?** ” 

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She looked at the stone blocks ahead. “ **Nope... you’re really making me work for this one, aren’t** **ya** **?** ” she shook her head. “ **Alright, bring it.** ” 

Pearl laughed as she triggered the bomb to explode. “ **Well, it may not be an easy one, but it sure is fun!** ” she grinned.   
Once all of the blocks were destroyed, she looked around the area.   
“ **Right, I've got... a metal block, a big ol’ floor switch, where the cube goes, I'd wager... a chest all the way up there... and a chest back here, neat.** ”   
Kneeling, she opened it, and her eyes widened. “ **Rubber** **armor** **... That’s the entire set, yes!** ” she cheered, stuffing it into her bag. “ **Okay, loving this shrine so far.** ” 

After using the metal block to knock the second chest down, she examined the area. “ **Right, I have to get back up there first...** ”   
Once she was at the bottom of the upper ladder, she used Magnesis to move the block around and placed it onto the large switch. High above, the metal bars slid up with a metal scrape, and Pearl nodded. Climbing up, she touched the front of the monk’s altar. “ **Love your work.** ” 

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Sighing, Pearl looked up at the clear blue sky. “ **Yep, magical storm. Hate ‘** **em** **with a vengeance.** ” Looking around, she shrugged. “ **Okay, I guess I'm done for today. It has been pretty tiring...** ” she mumbled as she took out the slate. 

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As Pearl appeared on the shrine’s platform, Amethyst jumped up to hug her. “ **Finally! The tower lit up a while ago...** ” she huffed.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Sorry... I found out about a couple of spots that I wanted to check out. Anyway, I'm** **kinda** **tired now. How about we head back to** **Hateno** **, eat dinner, then get some sleep?** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Sounds good to me.** ”   
“ **Yeah, I’m hungry...** ” Steven sighed.   
Connie joined them. “ **And you can tell us about up north. It looks cold...** ”   
Pearl shuddered. “ ** _Freezing_** **. If it wasn’t for this outfit, I wouldn’t have survived...** ” she shook her head. “ **Just let me pop down to the goddess statue first. I can trade for more strength...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	39. Day 6- Feel the Heat

_Day 6 Earth time..._

**Days in Hyrule... 1** **19** **...**

“ **Oh, I’ll do it this time.** ” Connie said, collecting the bowls.   
Pearl sighed and leaned back. “ **Thank guys, for taking care of everything here while I'm gone. It gives me one less thing to worry about.** ”   
“ **No problem.** ” Amethyst smiled. “ **You have bigger fish to fry than worrying about if the place is clean.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **Yes.** **We all alternate** **chore** **s to keep it fair.** **But Amethyst does most of the cooking.** ”   
Amethyst smirked. “ **Cause when you tried, you burned it... Someone’s** **gotta** **keep** **ya’ll** **fed.** ” 

Once Connie had returned, she looked around. “ **So, what’s your plan for today?** ”   
“ **Yeah, where** **ya** **going next, Pearl?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, I couldn’t explore the area much before, so... I’m thinking of heading back to Eldin, and try to reach the** **Goron** **City, up on Death mountain. Take care of that giant lizard.** ” she paused. “ **And no, I won’t be coming back for you this time.** ”   
“ **Aww... why not?** ” Steven sighed.   
Pearl smiled faintly. “ **Because, it’s an active volcano Steven. As it is, I'll have to try and find some** **armor** **to help with the heat, or I won’t make it far. Finding enough for all of us, never mind affording it if buying is the only option... never** **gonna** **happen.** **Plus, if the beast is able to start an eruption, I'd feel better knowing that you’re all away from the area. I'll be able to concentrate more on fighting, knowing that you’re all safe.** ” 

“ **That’s fair.** ” Garnet said.   
Amethyst sighed. “ **I guess... I suppose you’re going soon?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah. I just need to mix up some elixirs, specifically ones for heat resistance.** ” she sighed. “ **Ugh... I hate that all elixirs require powered horn, teeth or claws from monsters though...** ” she grumbled.   
“ **Ewwww** **...** ” Connie groaned. “ **That’s gross!** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **I know. But it’s the only way they actually work. At least I can wash the things before I powder it...** ” 

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Pearl sighed and poured the warm liquid into a small bottle, corking it before placing it in her bag. “ **...and two. Okay, that should be enough to get me there. If I can’t find any** **armor** **, I'll pop back here and mix up some more.** ”   
“ **You’re really good at this.** ” Connie said.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It was part of my lessons growing up. Cooking, making elixirs and medicine... Just the basic stuff every** **Gerudo** **is expected to know.** ” she sighed. “ **I aced all of those classes. Just because I've been away for so long, without access to the ingredients, doesn’t mean that I lost the skills.** ”   
“ **You’re going now?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah.** ” she glanced out at the fiery mountain, glowing brightly in the darkness. “ **I** **wanna** **start as close as possible in the morning, so I have all day to travel, so I should head out now. That way, I have time to plot out a route. Hopefully, one that goes around that Guardian Stalker...** ” she muttered. “ **If the volcano does start to erupt, I want you all to evacuate with the people of the village, okay?** ”   
“ **Okay...** ” Amethyst gave her a hug. “ **Stay safe.** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **I will.** ” 

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After getting changed out of the now overly warm Snowquill clothes, she wiped her brow and looked out at the burning landscape, slate in hand.   
Pearl frowned. “ **Hmm... I know there’s a Guardian Stalker down that way...** ” she glanced down to her right where the path disappeared behind the steep sides of the mountain before she looked back at her map. “ **...but the path looks like it comes around there, and heads towards what could be buildings and bridges... If I assume that’s** **Goron** **City, then... if I can get down there, I can avoid the Guardian, and save some walking time by avoiding that switchback.** ” she nodded. “ **Okay. Once the sun is up, I’ll get started.** ” 

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Pearl dropped to the ground, using the glider to stop her rapid descent just before landing. Quickly, she plunged her hand into her bag, taking out the bottle of elixir. “ **Damn, it’s hot...** ” she groaned. Grimacing at the taste, she downed it in one gulp. “ **Okay, yeah... that’s better. Gross, but better.** ” Shaking her head, she sighed. “ **Well, I only have a short time here, so I'd better get moving.** ” 

Pearl jogged along the path, shooting arrows at any burning FireChu that came near her. As she passed a large red-hot boulder, she heard the sound of rocks shifting and paused. Turning, she stared as the boulder stood up, slowly turning towards her. “ **Shit...** ” she quickly turned and ran, sprinting for the path ahead. Pausing for a breath, she noted with relief that the monster was slow moving, and she eagerly scrambled up the hot cliff-face. At the top, she glanced back. “ **Stars... That’s crazy...** ” she muttered. 

After crossing a bridge, she found herself in an area with several Gorons working hard with pick-axes. To the left, there was a lone Hylian, and she shook her head. ‘ _Guess I'm not the only one crazy enough to come up here..._ ’   
< ** _Hi there._** > she said, approaching the young Hylian man in the strange helmet.   
He turned and looked at her. < ** _Hello! Not often you see a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _around these parts. Myself, I'm on my way back from_** ** _Goron_** ** _City, but I forgot to buy souvenirs. I wanted to capture some of those fireproof lizards that live here on Death Mountain, but those suckers are quick._** > he looked her over. < ** _Say, you look pretty speedy. I bet you could catch a ton! If you bring me ten, I'll even give you some heat-resistant_** ** _armor_** ** _._** >   
Pearl’s eyes widened. < ** _I’d like that... Ten lizards from around here? Okay, I'll see you soon._** >

Looking around the small area, Pearl spotted a small lizard near some boulders. Cautiously, she knelt and crept along, finally getting close enough to grab it and stuff it into her bag. “ **Okay, one down...** ”   
She wandered all around the area, searching high and low, until finally, as the day wore on, she found the final one hanging out near the bridge she had crossed before. “ **Okay, I hope this** **armor** **is effective,** **cause** **I don’t have** **any more** **elixirs, and the last one’s about to wear off...** ” she muttered, returning to the man. 

< ** _Here you go. Ten lizards, freshly-caught._** >   
He grinned. < ** _You’ve done it already?! Well done! I’ll just take those..._** > she waited as he transferred them to his own bag, before he dropped it and reached back, pulling off his top layer of clothing. < ** _Okay..._** > he said with a sigh, holding it out. < ** _A deal’s a deal. This_** ** _Flamebreaker_** **_armor_** ** _should work_** ** _real_** ** _well. Don't worry, I still have my helmet. And I can always use those lizards to make some fireproof elixirs._** >   
Pearl accepted the armor. < ** _Thanks..._** > she retreated, slipping the armor over her thin strapless top as the elixir wore off. Instantly, she felt the effect, and she sighed with relief as the heat seemed to be kept at bay. “ **Okay, this was definitely worth it...** ” she mumbled before she looked around. “ **Okay, now that I'm no longer in danger of catching fire and dying a horrible burning death... for now...** ” she added with a mutter. “ **...I should talk to these** **Gorons** **. Maybe get some advice about that beast of theirs...** ” 

Pearl nodded as she watched the two Gorons wander off down the path. “ **Okay, that’s two for** **Tarrey** **Town. Now I just need to find someone who can sew and tailor clothes...** ” she shrugged. “ **But that can wait. Once the sun’s up, I’ll continued up the mountain...** ” 

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Standing on the path, Pearl frowned. “ **Hmm... Monster outpost.** ” she pulled out the slate, examining the map. “ **Okay, I do need to get past them, but if... Whoa! It's so hot, the temperature gauge has an error...** ” she sighed. “ **It’s amazing this thing even still functions. My phone would melt...** ” she shook her head. “ **Well, it looks like I might be able to get past without any trouble, provided I stick to the right after the bridge.** ” she muttered, putting the slate away. 

After a short walk, she paused to read the sign. < ** _Death Mountain Marker number four... This way to_ ** **_Goron_ ** **_City..._** > “ **Ah, that’s helpful.** ” she nodded. “ **These weird shapes on the map** **_must_ ** **be the city.** ” 

Shortly after passing under an arch, her slate started to beep. “ **And that must be the shrine inside the city.** ” she nodded. “ **Okay, I'll take care of that first, then I'll find out if anyone can help me reach that lizard.** ” 

Taking only a few steps, she felt the ground rumble, and heard a low roar. Looking up the mountain, she saw the giant lizard stomp across the face of the mountain, disappearing out of sight around the other side.   
Pearl shuddered. “ **Damn, one thing about these Divine Beasts... They really know how to make an entrance...** ” 

As she reached the entrance to the city, she paused to speak with the Goron. < ** _Umm... Hello._** >   
< ** _Well,_** ** _lookee_** ** _here... Welcome, Master Link!_** >   
Pearl paused. < ** _Uhh_** ** _, what?_** >   
< ** _I hope you got past those magma bombs without injury._** > he grinned. < ** _To be honest, we haven’t had too many visitors here since those magma bombs started_** ** _fallin_** ** _’ from the sky. I'd be bored to tears if I didn’t_** ** _pass_** ** _the time_** ** _pretendin_** ** _’ to greet the long lost_** ** _Hylian_** ** _Champion, heh..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Ah, I understand._** >

Moving past him, she entered the city proper and soon paused. “ **An** **armor** **shop** **. ‘** ** _Ripped and Shredded_** **’... Okay then.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Maybe they have more of this** **armor** **...** ”   
The Gron at the counter smiled at her. < ** _Hello there. You have the privilege of standing in Ripped and Shredded, my_** ** _armor_** ** _shop. How can I help_** ** _ya_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl point over at the trouser and boot combo, plus the helmet on the mannequins nearby. < ** _How much for both of those?_** >   
< ** _Let’s see... That’ll be... two thousand, seven hundred rupees._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Yeah, I can afford it._** > she nodded as she dug the bag of rupees out of her bag. 

Outside, Pearl pulled out the slate, turning around. “ **Okay, the shrine is... that way.** ” she walked along the walkway, past the inn and dodged a small Goron child rolling along.   
Pausing near an updraft, she looked ahead to where the clang of a smith at work resounded throughout the area. Looking up, she spotted the top of the shrine over the small lavafall.   
Quickly, she backtracked past the old Goron and followed the path as it led up. 

Standing in the middle of the path ahead, a Goron stood on the path. Beyond him, she could just see the top of the shrine.   
< ** _Um... excuse me? I need to get past here..._** >   
The Goron stared at her in shock. < ** _Whoa! It's a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _! That's unexpected. What are you_** ** _doin_** ** _’ here, little guy?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Trying to get along this path._** >   
< ** _There’s only an abandoned mine past this point. That and lots of monsters. In other words, it’s dangerous!_** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes. < ** _I’ve handled worse._** > she slipped past him. 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl looked at the setting sun. “ **Hmm... Well, now that I can warp back here, maybe I'll go see what upgrades** **Cotera** **can give me for this** **armor** **.** ” 


	40. Burning You Up Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this chapter, we cross the 100k mark!  
> And also, we're halfway through the story, chapter wise. Word wise? *shrugs* We'll have to see.

“ **Wow... I can’t believe this’ll make me fireproof.** ” Pearl mused, turning the helmet over in her hands before putting it on her head. “ **Well, I suppose I should test it... Just to be sure.** ” Cautiously, she took a step, and finally stood on top of the nearby glowing patch of cracked volcanic rock. “ **Huh... Yeah, I don’t feel anything.** ” she grinned behind the helmet. “ **But,** **I guess I should be getting on now.** ” she added, looking at the sky lightening behind the shrine. “ **At least the helmet will make it difficult for anyone to recognise me as a** **Gerudo** **...** ” 

< ** _Drat! That blasted_** ** _Rudania_** ** _!_** > the old Goron huffed.   
Pearl paused. ‘ _This Beast m_ _ust have been named after Darunia..._ ’ < ** _Excuse me for bothering you, sir, but... What’s wrong?_** >   
He sighed heavily. < ** _With_** ** _Rudania_** **_runnin_** ** _’ wild recently, Death Mountain’s eruptions have gotten_** ** _real_** ** _bad. Do_** ** _ya_** ** _see_** ** _Rudania_** **_stompin_** ** _’ around up there on the mountain?_** >   
Pearl looked up at the glowing peak. < ** _Yeah._** >   
< ** _They say that one hundred years ago, it actually used to protect our people from harm... but that was then, and this is now! Now all it does is mess up our mining operations! We're all suffering because it’s stopping us from doing business!_** > he stomped his feet, drawing her attention. < ** _I can’t tell_** ** _ya_** ** _how many times we’ve used the cannon to chase off that fiend. But it always comes back!!_** > he growled 

There was a loud crunching sound, and he tensed up, stifling a scream. < ** _Arrrgh_** ** _..._** ** _Youch_** ** _..._** **_Owwwowow_** ** _..._** >   
Pearl reached out slightly in concern. < ** _Sir, are you okay?_** >   
He glanced at her. < ** _Hmph, it’s just some back pain... Wait. Who are you?_** >   
Pearl tensed slightly. < ** _I’m a_** ** _traveler_** ** _._** >   
< ** _I see..._** > he nodded slowly, wincing slightly. < ** _So, you came all this way to pay your respects to me? I like you already, sister! Well, my name’s_** ** _Bludo_** ** _. I'm the great_** ** _Goron_** ** _Boss who’s fearsome enough to silence a crying child! Or to make a silenced child cry, either way. Yes, it is none other than I,_** ** _Bludo_** ** _!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I feel_** ** _honored_** ** _._** > she said, playing along.   
He sighed. < ** _I was_** ** _plannin_** ** _’ to drive off_** ** _Rudania_** ** _like I always do, but then this blasted pain in my back flared up_** ** _outta_** ** _nowhere... That blasted_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _... When will he return?_** >

< ** _Who is_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _?_** > Pearl asked. < ** _Maybe I can find him for you..._** >   
Bludo sighed. < ** _Yunobo_** ** _is a young_** ** _Goron_** ** _who helps me drive off_** ** _Rudania_** ** _._** > he turned and pointed up towards the shrine. < ** _He went to grab some painkillers for my back from the Abandoned North Mine, but he hasn’t come back yet..._** > he shook his head. < ** _Slacker... I bet he’s off somewhere_** ** _wastin_** ** _’ time..._** > he muttered. Looking at Pearl, he perked up. < ** _Hey... If_** ** _ya_** ** _happen to see_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, will you let him know I'm_** ** _lookin_** ** _’ for him?_** >   
His back creaked again, and he winced painfully. < ** _Arrgh_** ** _... Ugh... Ouch..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. You should go take it easy. The pain will only get worse if you don’t..._** >

Jogging back up the path towards the shrine, she paused at the Goron again. < ** _Uh, hey. Have you seen_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _come through here?_** >   
He turned, looking down at her. < ** _What’s a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _like you_** ** _doin_** ** _’_** ** _tryin_** ** _’ to sniff out_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _The Boss asked me to find him._** >   
His eyes widened. < ** _HUH? The Boss asked you to?! Well, if the Boss sent_** ** _ya_** ** _, I have no choice but to cooperate! If you're_** ** _lookin_** ** _’ for_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, he went to the Abandoned North Mine. It's_** ** _‘cause_** **_Rudania_** ** _is back again... I bet he’s trying to help fix up the Boss’s back so they can drive back that awful beast, just like always._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, that’s the impression I got. The mine is that way, right?_** > she pointed up towards the shrine.   
< ** _Yep. Good luck_** ** _findin_** ** _’ him!_** >

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After taking out a couple of RockOctoroks, Pearl reached an area with several Gorons, a few updrafts, and some small outposts with Lizalfos. A Goron was standing at the entrance, a large weapon slung over his shoulder.   
< ** _Hey._** > Pearl called out.   
He looked down at her. < ** _Yeesh! What's_** ** _goin_** ** _’ on today?! So many_** ** _peeeople_** ** _out and about! You should know it is much hotter past here, and there are also_** ** _looots_** ** _of monsters. It's_** ** _reeeally_** ** _dangerous!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I can handle it. I’m looking for_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _._** >   
< ** _Why’s a stranger like_** ** _yoooou_** **_askin_** ** _’ about_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl crossed her arms. < ** _Boss wants to know._** >

The Goron jumped. < ** _Huuuh_** ** _? Boss does?! Well... Then I guess I better tell you wheeeeere Yunobo is!_** > he turned and pointed out towards an odd rock formation. < ** _Yunobo_** ** _... went to the vault to fetch some painkillers. But now that_** ** _ya_** ** _mention it, I_** ** _suppooooose_** ** _he never came back._** > he turned back to her. < ** _This place is_** ** _daaaaangerous_** ** _, so_** ** _ya_** ** _probably shouldn’t go_** ** _lookin_** ** _’ for him._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Like I said, I can handle it. I’m going in there._** > she walked past him confidently. 

Glancing back, Pearl saw the Goron watching her curiously and sighed. “ **Ugh, what a weirdo... Now, how to get over there?** ” she looked at the metal device nearby and walked closer to examine it.   
Behind her, the Goron shouted. < ** _HEY!_** ** _Stooop_** ** _that! That's Boss’s cannon! Don't you_** ** _daaaare_** ** _touch that lever!_** >   
Pearl looked at the lever and grinned. “ **Ahh! Why not?** ” she pressed her hands against the lever, pushing it, but it wouldn’t budge. “ **Fine...** ” she muttered, taking out her sledgehammer and smacking the lever.   
The cannon turned to the left, and looking down its sights, Pearl could see a Lizalfos standing on a wooden tower. “ **Heh, payback time, bitches...** ” she smirked as she used the slate to create a round bomb. 

The bomb exploded, and the large shot inside the cannon was propelled out. It flew up and down, smashing into the Lizalfos’ position with a ball of fire.   
Pearl grinned and looked around. “ **Doesn’t seem to be anything else I can reach. But I do see more cannons.** ” 

Reaching the second cannon, she quickly loaded it with a bomb and slammed the lever. The cannon turned to the left, and when it stopped, she fired.   
Ahead, the two Lizalfos standing on the rocky outcrop disappeared in a ball of fire, clearing the path. 

Pearl crouched behind a rock, peering out. “ **Hmm... There’s an updraft, but that’ll put me in the line of fire of those** **Lizalfos** **archers... If I’m quick, I can soar past them...** ”   
At the second updraft, she spotted another directly ahead and move into it. She then saw another cannon, and grinned as she landed. “ **This’ll do nicely. I won’t even have to turn it to hit them.** ”   
Once the archers had been destroyed, she looked across to her right. “ **Hmm... more archers there, I might be able to reach them... and that weird red pile of boulders there in the middle. Better check that out.** ” 

Using the updraft to reach the spot where the rubble had been, she smashed the ore deposits, finding a small collection of gems, including a diamond. “ **Okay...** ” she mumbled, collecting them before moving forwards towards the next updraft. 

Reaching the next cannon, she looked out at her potential targets. “ **Okay, small outpost there... large one there, but I still might be too far to reach it... but that cannon there should do the trick. And then there’s that skull. Maybe the cannon can smash it?** ”   
With the targets destroyed, she went over and looked at the remains of the giant skull. “ **Still don’t know what left these, still not sure I even _want_ to know...**”   
Opening the chest inside, she found a bundle of ice arrows and bagged them with a smile. 

Reaching the next cannon, she looked at the large outpost ahead. “ **Okay, take them out first, then I’ll smash that pile of rubble there... And it looks like there might be one more cannon up there.** ”   
Destroying the rubble allowed a fierce updraft to be released, and Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, that should make it easier to reach that formation.** **Yunobo** **doesn’t seem to be the only thing waiting for me there...** ” she muttered, examining the slate’s radar. “ **There’s a shrine here too.** ” 

Jumping into the powerful updraft, Pearl soared up, veering to the right towards the outcrop. Inside, she heard the faint voice of someone calling.   
< ** _Help! Help me! Help!_** >   
Running forwards, she came close to the pile of rubble. < ** _Somebody_** ** _help_** ** _me! I can’t get out!_** >   
“ **Yunobo** **...** ” Pearl nodded. “ **Well, that explains why he took longer than everyone expected...** ”   
Turning, she looked out the nearest cannon. “ **Yep, that’ll do it.** ” 

As the cannon rotated to the right, Pearl fired. The shot burst forwards, slamming into the pile of rubble trapping Yunobo.   
Once the cannon stopped moving, she nodded. Soaring back over via the updraft, she approached the rock formation, a cave now visible inside. A Goron, smaller than an adult, was inside, crouching and shaking in fear.   
< ** _Oh man, oh man, oh man... What am I_** ** _gonna_** ** _do?_** > he turned and glanced at her, his eyes widening. < ** _Monsters! They’re here! They've found me! Help!_** > he started running around in a panic.   
< ** _Calm down!_** > Pearl called out. 

He paused and looked at her. < ** _Huh? Oh..._** > he looked her over for a moment. < ** _Now that I've gotten a good look... Whoa! It's a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _!_** > he muttered under his breath.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. < ** _Of course. I'm not exactly_** ** _Moblin_** ** _size,_** ** _ya_** ** _know..._** >   
He glanced behind her. < ** _Were you the one who broke through that crag to rescue me,_** ** _goro_** ** _? Thanks, sister! But what brought you all the way out here to begin with?_** >   
< ** _I’m_** ** _lookin_** ** _’ for_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. Boss sent me._** > Pearl answered, sighing.   
He nodded. < ** _Oh! So that’s it! Boss told you to come find me! Phew, thank goodness. In any case, I sure am glad you saved me,_** ** _goro_** ** _! The name’s_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. Everyone calls me..._** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. Makes sense,_** ** _goro_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yep._** >

He nodded at the crate nearby. < ** _I came to get some painkillers for Boss, but a magma bomb caused a rock slide, sealing the entrance,_** ** _goro_** ** _. By the way... How did you break those rocks at the entrance,_** ** _goro_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _With a cannon._** >   
Yunobo stared at her. < ** _Huh? You used Boss’s cannon?! That thing is so difficult to use. I thought only Boss could handle it!_** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _It wasn’t that hard._** >   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Oops, I nearly forget! This isn’t the time to chat... I need to deliver these painkillers as soon as possible! Sorry, I've_** ** _gotta_** ** _run! But do come by and see the Boss later, ok? He may be gruff, but he always repays a favour. I'm sure there’s a reward in it for you. OK then! Good-bye for now,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** >   
Grabbing something from the nearby crate, he ran outside. Rolling into a ball, he rolled out towards the distant city.   
Pearl shrugged, watching him speed off into the sunset. “ **Okay, now, where’s this shrine?** ” 

After some time, she shook her head. “ **Drat... It must be further on, across the lava lake...** ” she sighed. “ **No chance of reaching it from here... Well, I might as well check those chests in the cave before I head back... It’s not like anybody’s** **gonna** **miss ‘em. This mine is apparently abandoned, after all...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	41. Some Like It Hot

The next day, Pearl glided down from the shrine, landing not far from the old Goron.   
< ** _Ah! It's the tiny_** ** _traveler_** ** _!_** > he grinned. < ** _Y_** ** _unobo_** ** _told me all about how you helped him, sister. Here's a reward for_** ** _ya_** ** _._** ** _Hylians_** ** _like you need this sort of thing, right?_** > Bludo held out three small bottles, and Pearl recognised them as fireproof elixirs.   
< ** _Sure, we usually think that getting barbecued is no fun._** > she smiled, putting them into her bag. ‘ _Eh, I can save them if the others want to come here for a very quick look around..._ ’   
Bludo nodded. < ** _Ok then. Well, I took my painkillers, so I guess it’s time to meet up with_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. I mean no disrespect to_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _legacy, but If I'm not there to give that_** ** _Rudania_** ** _a good walloping..._** >   
< ** _Daruk_** ** _?_** > Pearl asked, curious.   
He stared in shock. < ** _Are_** ** _ya_** ** _really_** ** _tellin_** ** _’ me_** ** _ya_** ** _don’t know about_** ** _Daruk_** ** _? The_** ** _Goron_** ** _Champion!?_** >

He turned and pointed up at the carving above the city. < ** _See that statue up there? That's_** ** _Daruk_** ** _!_** >   
Pearl looked at the carving of the smiling Goron with the thick beard and long moustache. < ** _Huh... He looked powerful..._** > she glanced at Bludo. ‘ _I’ll probably meet his ghost too..._ ’   
Bludo nodded. < ** _He was the greatest of all_** ** _Gorons_** ** _. Anyway,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _is actually a descendant of the Great_** ** _Daruk_** ** _. That's why that slacker can even use_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection! He uses it to protect himself when we fire him at_** ** _Rudania_** ** _._** >   
Pearl blinked. < ** _You fire him AT_** ** _Rudania_** ** _?!_** >

Bludo shrugged. < ** _That’s the only way we can chase that blasted beast away. We have no choice because normal cannonballs are no good against him._** > he grunted. < ** _All right, that’s enough_** ** _outta_** ** _me. Time to go drive off_** ** _Rudania_** ** _!_** >   
As he straightened himself up proudly, there was another loud crack, and he tensed. < ** _Ooohhhh_** ** _...._** >   
Pearl winced. < ** _That was a loud one..._** >   
< ** _Owww_** ** _... I’m afraid..._** ** _arrgh_** ** _... I won’t be_** ** _goin_** ** _’ anywhere today. I hate to put you on the spot, but... can_** ** _ya_** ** _please go tell_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _that I'm_** ** _gonna_** ** _have to cancel for today? He should be at Eldin Bridge._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay. You really should go and rest though..._** >

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As Pearl crossed the bridge high above Goron City, she paused, staring at the strange contraption ahead. “ **What is... Oh! It’s a mine cart...** ” she examined the device, looking ahead to the tracks. “ **Something tells me I'll need to know how to use these...** ” she sighed, climbing on.   
Placing a round bomb into the area at the back, she nervously stepped back. “ **Okay, here goes nothing...** ” 

The cart burst forwards, rattling along the track. A short distance later, the track stopped, and the cart came to a halt.   
Pearl jumped off. “ **Okay, that seems simple enough. That cage at the back seems to focus the blast, so I don’t get caught it in. Pretty ingenious, actually.** ” 

Ahead, she found some pool of steaming water, along with another line of track and a mine cart lying nearby. Reading the sign, she smiled. “ **Death Mountain Marker number 7. The world-renowned, refreshing Goron Hot Springs!** ” she nodded. “ **Well, they’re smaller than the lake near the tower... But shallower, so more relaxing? Eh.** ” she shrugged. “ **We can keep using the one near** **Hateno** **to get clean...** ” 

Using Magnesis to lift the cart onto the track, she jumped on board and loaded another bomb into the cage. It rocketed forwards, finally coming to a stop behind three lavafalls. Pearl looked back. “ **And that’s how far it can go on a relatively flat track.** **Also** **good to know.** ” As she placed another bomb and turned, her eyes widened. “ **Another shrine, yes!** ” 

As the cart rattled out from behind the falls, the ground shook. Pearl stared in horror as large magma bombs came tearing through the sky, crashing all around her. Jumping from the cart, she ran as fast as she could, dodging shards of burning hot rock. As she reached the shrine, the shower of rocks ended as suddenly as it began, and she stopped to catch her breath. “ **Holy... crap...** ” she panted. “ **Yeah, I’m... not bring... bringing... the others... here...** ” she muttered, reaching the slate out to open the shrine. 

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Outside, Pearl looked around warily. “ **Hope there aren’t any more magma bombs...** ” she muttered. 

Rounding the switchback in the path, she looked up as Rudania crawled across the face of the volcano ahead, it’s feet and tail seemingly on fire. “ **Alright...** **Gotta** **get in there somehow... Maybe** **Yunobo** **inherited** **Daruk’s** **ability to get in?** ” 

Ahead, she spotted movement, and quickly pulled out the scope. Two Moblins were standing, pounding on the sides of a glowing red bubble, and inside was... “ **Yunobo** **!** ” Pearl hissed. “ **This kid has** **gotta** **learn to stay** **outta** **trouble...** ” she sighed, drawing a sword. 

< **Yaah** **! Someone, please help me!** > Yunobo cried as the Moblins pounded at the bubble.   
Pearl snuck forwards, drawing her bow. To her surprise, the tip immediately burst into flames, and she paused. ‘ _Okay, definitely cannot use bomb arrows. That won’t end well..._ ’ she shook herself off and draw the arrow back, taking aim at the back of the first Moblins head.   
The Moblin fell, stunned, and the other looked over in shock. Pearl quickly hit it with an arrow just as the first one jumped to its feet, a long spear-like pole in its hands. The metallic tip gleamed, and Pearl eyed it warily. “ **Okay, that looks like a drill-tip... better avoid that...** ” 

She warily circled around, keeping both Moblins in her sights. Getting an idea, she turned and ran, climbing onto higher ground as the two Moblins followed her. She quickly got into another shot each with an arrow, using the brief moment as they lay stunned to scramble up higher. Finally, she stood on the crag above them, grinning. < ** _What’s the matter? Don’t know how to climb?_** > she taunted.   
One leant down and picked up a small rock, throwing it at her. She quickly swung her shield around, and the rock ricocheted off.   
< ** _Ooh, touch a sore spot, did I?_** > she smirked, taking aim with another arrow. < ** _Well, here’s another one for_** ** _ya’s_** ** _._** >

Finally, the last Moblin fell to the ground, bursting into black smoke. Pearl quickly leapt down and collected the scattered parts as Yunobo dropped his bubble.   
< ** _WOW! You're crazy strong,_** ** _goro_** ** _! You saved me again!_** >   
Pearl walked over to him. < ** _Hey_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _._** >   
He grinned at her. < ** _Thanks for_** ** _savin_** ** _’ me, sister! I would have been in real trouble if you hadn’t shown up when you did,_** ** _goro_** ** _._** > he sighed. < ** _So... Still no sign of Boss, eh?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Actually, he’s not coming._** >   
Yunobo looked surprised. < ** _Huh? Not coming? But why,_** ** _goro_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _His back still hurts._** >

Yunobo rubbed at his hair. < ** _After we went through all that trouble to get them... the painkillers didn’t even end up working, goro. Well, if Boss can’t help, there’s nothin’ else we can do. I suppose I'll just head back_** ** _now..._** > he started to turn to leave.   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Wait a minute!_** >   
Yunobo looked at her. < ** _Huh? You’re not_** ** _goin_** ** _’ back? But why,_** ** _goro_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl pointed at the giant mechanical lizard above. < ** _I_** ** _wanna_** ** _board_** ** _Rudania_** ** _._** >   
< ** _WHAT?!_** > Yunobo almost screamed. < ** _You’re_** ** _gonna_** ** _try to board the Divine Beast? Who do you think you are... Lord_** ** _Daruk_** ** _? It's dangerous in there,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** > he shook his head. < ** _Though I guess if you weaken it first, it might be possible..._** > he added in a mutter. < ** _But, why risk it?!_** >

Pearl shrugged. < ** _Trust me, it’s something beyond our control. I_** **have** ** _to go in there._** >   
Yunobo sighed. < ** _Hmm. Well, I don’t really get it, but I'm sure you have your reasons,_** ** _goro_** ** _..._** > he looked at the nearby bridge. < ** _The problem is... good_** ** _ol_** ** _’ Boss raised the Bridge of Eldin to make sure that mean Divine Beast couldn't get over here. In order to get to where_** ** _Rudania_** ** _is, we’ll have to find a way to get the Bridge of Eldin back down,_** ** _goro_** ** _. Boss would normally use the cannon to lower it... Ugh, we can’t get across unless we figure something out!_** > he wiped a hand down his face. < ** _If Boss can’t come down here, then he can’t use the cannon to lower the bridge. That means we’re out of luck,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** >

He looked back at Pearl. < ** _Oh! It occurred to me that YOU know how to use the cannons! Don't you,_** ** _goro_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl nodded, and his expression turned thoughtful. < ** _Maybe we CAN get across after all..._** > he muttered. < ** _So_** ** _let’s just do what I do to help Boss sometimes. That means I'm_** ** _gonna_** ** _be the cannonball! And you’ll launch me,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** >   
Pearl stared at him. < ** _Are... are you sure?!_** >   
Yunobo flexed, and the bright red bubble reappeared around him. < ** _I’ve got_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection,_** ** _goro_** ** _! My ancestor’s help can’t possibly fail me! That means I can smash into anything and it won’t hurt one bit,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** >   
As the shield disappeared, Pearl grinned. ' _Steven would_ ** _love_** _to meet him._ ’   
< ** _My ancestor,_** ** _Daruk_** ** _, was a big deal,_** ** _goro_** ** _. That's what Boss says, so it’s just_** ** _gotta_** ** _be true! And I can use_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection just like_** ** _Daruk_** ** _could! That means there’s no need to worry,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** ** _So_** ** _rest easy, got it? Well, go on then! Take aim at the Bridge of Eldin and fire away,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** > he paused, leaning down to her. < ** _Just,_** ** _y’know_** ** _... be_** ** _kinda_** ** _gentle about it..._** >   
Yunobo summoned the bubble and rolled into a ball, jumping into the cannon beside them.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay._** >

Standing behind the cannon, she dropped a round bomb into the hole. < ** _Ready,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _?_** > she called.   
< ** _Ready,_** ** _goro_** ** _!_** > came the muffled response.   
Pearl hit the lever, making the cannon turn. At the right moment, she set off the bomb, and Yunobo was sent flying with a yell. The bubble slammed into the bridge with a clang, and as he rebounded off, it creaked and fell into place.   
Yunobo landed in front of the bridge. Standing, he wobbled slightly. < ** _We did it... See that,_** ** _goro_** ** _... If we put our heads together... anything is possible! That power I got from my ancestor... Daruk’s Protection... It really is_** ** _somethin_** ** _’ else, isn’t it?_** > he blinked a couple of times and finally seemed to recover. < ** _Anyhow, I guess my time as a cannonball isn’t over just yet,_** ** _goro_** ** _._** ** _So_** ** _let’s get a move on and cross that bridge, sister!_** >   
Pearl looked up at the darkening sky. < ** _Actually, how about we rest here for the night. I prefer not to travel at night, so I can see where I'm going, and any dangers around me..._** >   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Yeah, sounds good,_** ** _goro_** ** _! I could use some sleep..._** > he yawned. 


	42. Sweat When the Heat is On

With the first hints of dawn tinting the eastern sky, Yunobo stretched and yawned. < ** _Ahhh_** ** _..._** ** _mornin_** ** _’,_** ** _goro_** ** _..._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Morning,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. I'm ready to go whenever you are._** >   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Just let me have breakfast first._** > he stood and wandered over to the nearby cliff. With ease, he tore a chunk of rock out, gave it a sniff and started to chew. < ** _Mmmmm_** ** _..._** ** _dat’s_** ** _pretty good..._** > he murmured.   
Pearl shook her head. ‘ _Glad they don’t eat gems..._ ’ 

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A short while later, the pair cross the Bridge of Eldin. As they neared the far side, they paused and looked up at the beast high above.   
Panels on the side opened, and Pearl flinched as small flying drone with helicopter-like blades flew out. They took up positions along the path. 

Yunobo yelped. < ** _Oh... Yikes... A Sentry is always a nuisance, no matter where it is or how many of them there are. If one finds you,_** ** _Rudania_** ** _will go nuts, which will cause Death Mountain to erupt,_** ** _goro_** ** _._** >   
Pearl glanced back up at the beast. < ** _Well, we definitely want to avoid that._** >   
Yunono rubbed his head frantically. < ** _I... always get spotted, and then magma bombs come raining down one after another. If Boss was here, he’d swat those magma bombs away like they were_** ** _nothin_** ** _’ and force his way up!_** > he glanced down at Pearl. < ** _I don’t think you’d be able to do that,_** ** _goro_** ** _. And I don’t_** ** _wanna_** ** _cause you any trouble. Hmm..._** > he paused to think. < ** _Maybe the best idea is for you to give me a signal to let me know when I should stop and when I can move forward. Let's hurry and decide what the signal will be,_** ** _goro_** ** _. Um, got any ideas?_** >   
Pearl thought for a moment. < ** _I doubt the sentries can hear, so a whistle should work._** >   
Yunobo nodded excitedly. < ** _A whistle? Ah, that’s a great idea,_** ** _goro_** ** _! When I hear your whistle, I'll either stop in my tracks or start moving forward! I like it!_** > he glanced up at the mountain. < ** _Ok then. I'm counting on you and your whistles to make sure I'm not spotted by those awful sentries!_** >

With Yunobo following closely, Pearl jogged along the path. Pausing, she watched the sentry ahead. As it stopped and turned away, she nodded. < ** _Okay,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. If we’re quick, we can get under that overhang without being spotted._** >   
< ** _Right._** >   
As they waited, Pearl watched the circle of light ahead. Once the sentry turned and went back the way they came, passing over the overhang, she nodded. < ** _Now._** > They rushed ahead, pausing at the curve in the path. 

Pearl glance around the corner. < ** _Okay, there’s another sentry up there._** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, wait here. I'm_** ** _gonna_** ** _scout ahead a little, try to find a way around it._** >   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Okay,_** ** _goro_** ** _._** >   
Pearl turned towards the nearby cliff and started climbing up. At the top, she found two large boulders, and peered down over the edge at the hovering sentry. ‘ _You picked a bad place to hang out..._ ’ she grinned, pushing at the nearest boulder.   
It dropped, hitting the sentry below. Its blades bent, it veered off and slammed into the ground, exploding.   
Pearl jumped down, catching her fall with the glider. After picking up a small gearwheel, she shoved a couple of boulders off the path. Whistling, she waited for Yunobo to come running around the corner. 

Continuing up the path, she spotted a cannon. Not far away, the Divine Beast crouched on the side of the volcano. She quickly judged the distance and nodded. < ** _We can reach that._** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, you ready for this?_** >   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Yeah!_** > he rolled and created his bubble, jumping into the cannon.   
Pearl dropped a round bomb and hit the lever. The cannon rotated, and Pearl set off the bomb.   
Yunobo gave a shout as he flew through the air, slamming into the Divine Beasts back.   
It roared as if in pain and stomped away. 

Yunobo landed nearby. He stood, wobbling. < ** _We did it,_** ** _goro_** ** _! If we can keep this up, we should be able to corner_** ** _Rudania_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah. Let's find another cannon._** > Ahead, she could see two patrolling sentries. < ** _Yunobo, wait here. I’ll see if there’s another way past them..._** >

Climbing up the cliff near the first sentry, she discovered two large metal blocks. Switching to the Magnesis rune, she grabbed one and slammed it into the first sentry. It fell to the ground, and exploded.   
Around the corner, she spotted a third sentry in the line. “ **How am I** **gonna** **reach you?** ” she mused quietly. Seeing the small ledge ahead, she dropped the block there and jumped over, climbing up a short distance. She then smashed the second sentry. “ **Still can’t reach the third...** ” she huffed. Looking down, she spotted two large metal doors lying on the ground. “ **I can use those...** ” she glanced back. “ **I’d better get** **Yunobo** **first though...** ” 

Dropping down, she backtracked, picking up fallen machine parts along the way. When she felt she was close enough, she whistled, and Yunobo looked up with a grin. She waved at him, and he stared to jog over.   
< ** _Find another cannon?_** > he asked, panting.   
She shook her head. < ** _No, just an extra sentry I wasn’t expecting. But there’s some metal I can use to knock it down with. Don't worry._** > she turned around. < ** _Come on._** >

Using Magnesis, she placed the door on top of the outcrop on the right side. < ** _Wait here a moment._** >   
Climbing up, she grabbed the door again and swung it at the sentry, knocking it from the sky.   
Jumping down, she nodded at Yunobo. < ** _Okay..._** > she glanced at the door nearby. < ** _Actually, I might take one with me, just in case..._** >

Above, they spotted the next cannon, pausing at the sight of the Moblin standing nearby with a sledgehammer. Pearl waited for a moment and dropped the door on top of it before drawing her bow. Once the Moblin had leapt to its feet, she fired an arrow into its face, stunning it again. Quickly, she rushed forwards, getting in close and slashing it with her blade. It tried to swung the hammer, but she was too close, and she could feel the rush of hot wind sweeping behind her. After a short fight, the Moblin fell, and Yunobo gave a cheer.   
< ** _Okay_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, same as before._** > she pointed up at the Divine Beast.   
He nodded, jumping into the cannon. < ** _Fire away!_** >

Once again, Rudania roared loudly and stomped further away.   
Yunobo landed, stumbling to his feet. < ** _We did it! Direct hit,_** ** _goro_** ** _! And thanks to_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection, that didn’t hurt me one bit,_** ** _goro_** ** _! My ancestor came through for me! If we keep weakening it like this, we should be able to get inside. Don't let up, Pearl!_** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _I’m glad. Now, I need to knock those two sentries down with this slab, so hang out here for a moment, okay?_** >

Pearl collected the scattered gems and looked ahead. “ **Okay, I'd better get** **Yunobo** **. Save some backtracking later when I find the next cannon...** ” 

< ** _Okay, wait near this boulder whilst I take care of those, okay?_** > she pointed at the three sentries hovering above the updrafts.   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Okay, Pearl!_** >

Cautiously, she ran towards the first sentry and climbed up the nearby cliff. At the top, she looked around and grinned. “ **Yes, I was hoping there’d be something...** ” she said, looking at the three large metal cubes. Picking one up with Magnesis, she took out the trio of sentries. Looking ahead, she spotted the next cannon, wincing at the sight of the two Moblins guarding it. “ **Great...** ” she looked at the cubes. “ **Hmmm...** ” 

Jumping across to the nearby ledge, she picked up the cube and dropped it over the edge near the Moblins. With a quick jerk, she slammed it into them, and they were sent flying, dissipating rapidly. “ **Huh...** ” she said, tossing the cube over out of the way. “ **That was way easier...** ”   
Nearby, there was a signpost, and she quickly read it. “ **Death Mountain Marker number nine... nothing else. Maybe this is the end of the path?** ” Looking up, she spotted the Divine Beast clinging to the side of the mountain. “ **Okay, I'll grab Yunobo and finish this...** ” 

< ** _Okay,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. I think this’ll be the last time. Mainly because we can’t go any further..._** > she muttered.   
Yunobo nodded. < ** _Okay,_** ** _goro_** ** _! Oh, and actually... I know a way up there, if we need it._** >   
< ** _Ah, good._** ** _Thanks_** ** _for everything,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _._** >   
Once Yunobo was ready inside the cannon, Pearl placed a bomb and hit the lever, turning the cannon to the left. < ** _Firing!_** >

Yunobo shot out and slammed into the giant mechanical lizard.   
There was a series of explosions, and Rudania shuddered violently. As steam released from points all over the structure, Rudania started to move. It climbed up, directly into the top of the volcano and slipped over the edge.   
A large burst of magma burst into the sky, raining down. 

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As the pair reached the top of the mountain, they looked down into the crater at the beast, sitting half submerged in the magma pool below.   
< ** _That was so cool!_** > Yunobo shouted over the rumbling of the volcano. < ** _You really put a licking on that thing, Pearl! It's time to finish the job! This is our big chance!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Right! You stay safe, okay!_** > pulling out the glider, she glanced down at the beast. “ **I hope this thing is fire-proof...** ” Taking a deep breath, she ran and jumped off the edge. 

Yunobo ran to the edge and looked down to see Pearl gliding down towards the beast. < ** _She is so cool..._** > he mumbled. 

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Pearl landed on the beasts back, looking around and spotting the now familiar pedestal. Taking out the slate, she tapped it to the device.   
< ** _Travel Gate now registered to map._** >   
As the blue symbol behind her glowed, Pearl waited. She wasn’t too surprised to hear a deep voice. 

< ** _Hey, I don’t know who you are, but that was pretty impressive!_** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _I’ll assume that you’re_** ** _Daruk_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _Yeah, that’s me all right! You’re here to take control of_** ** _ol_** ** _’_** ** _Rudania_** ** _back from_** ** _Ganon_** ** _, eh?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That’s the plan._** >   
< ** _You’re_** ** _gonna_** ** _need a map that shows the guts of this place. You can grab the info from the Guidance stone over there. Now get a move on!_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _I understand the sentiment, but actually, I’ve had a long day, and I need to rest up a bit, if that’s all right with you?_** >   
Daruk laughed. < ** _I’ve waited this long. What's another day?_** >

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	43. Turn Up the Heat til We Fry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick early update.   
> I'm having dental problems (abscess) atm, so I'm unsure how I'll be over the weekend.  
> If it bursts and I end up in hospital or something, then at least I can leave you with a new chapter or two to tide you over until I recover.

Pearl cautiously leaned over, looking down towards Rudanias’ tail. “ **There’s a chest there...** ” she muttered, glancing down at the bubbling magma below. “ **I’ll have to be extra careful on this one...** ”   
Taking out the ancient screw, she sighed. “ **Eh, at least I can do something with them now...** ” she said, putting it with the rest. 

Walking around the back of the beast to the right, she paused. “ **Ah... There’s the main control unit...** **So** **this is where I’ll probably have to fight something...** ” she looked around. “ **...probably fire-related.** ”   
She went towards the beast’s head and fired an arrow at the glowing eyeball.   
“ **Hmm, some sort of cage, but for what?** ” she tapped the bars. “ **Meh, I'll probably find out at some point.** ”   
Using the slate, she returned to the glowing blue warp gate. “ **Okay, once more into the beast I go...** ” she smirked. 

As she stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind her, pitching her into almost complete darkness. “ **Dammit...** ” she muttered, tapping around the door for any hidden triggers to open it. “ **Well, I can always warp out...** ” she sighed, turning and looking down the corridor. “ **At least there’s light down there...** ” 

Nervously, she stood in the area of the two blue flames and looked around the room. “ **Three eyeballs... I should take care of them first, in case there’s one of those skull-spawning mouths...** ”   
With a shrug, she fired the arrow. “ **At least it’s cooler in here... if my arrows aren’t spontaneously bursting into flames anymore...** ”   
With the three eyeballs destroyed, Pearl jogged forwards to examine the three chests they left behind. “ **Ice arrows are always useful... a big wooden club... eh. … Oh, a torch! That might actually be useful...** ” she said, looking back at the blue flames. 

Using the torch, she went clockwise around the room. “ **Big orange glowing symbol with a hole in the middle... There’s an orb I** **gotta** **find. Don’t k** **now** **how I’ll get it in there though...** ”   
Neared a barred door, she found a lantern and touched the torch to it. It burst into flames and the door slide open. Looking into the room, she spotted a small blue dot, and as she stepped forwards, the small Guardian lit up bright red. 

Pearl quickly stepped back and waved her torch out. Drawing her bow, she stepped back and waited for the machine to activate before firing an arrow at its eye. It exploded, scattering parts in the darkness, and Pearl sighed as she relit her torch from the nearby lantern to collect them.   
In the darkness, she spotted four more glowing eyeballs. One was attached to a spawning mouth, and she quickly wave out the torch and destroyed the skull and the eyeball in quick succession. After destroying the other three, she examined the three chests that had appeared, glowing faintly in the darkness. 

After retreating to relight her torch, she went around the room, examining the walls until she found another unlit lantern next to the barred door. She lit it, opening the door and stepped through to find a terminal. “ **This'll be for the map...** ” she mused, taking out the slate.   
As expected, she then heard Daruk’s voice. < ** _Nice job getting the map of the Divine Beast! The terminals that control_** ** _Rudania_** ** _are noted by the glowing points on your map. To take back_** ** _Rudania_** ** _, you’ll need to activate all of the terminals. You got this, little guy!_** >   
Pearl sighed as panels in the ceiling slid open, allowing lit into the beast’s interior. “ **Thank the stars...** ” she muttered. Examining the new map, she nodded. “ **Hmm... Looks like I can tilt this one up to ninety degrees.** ” 

In the previous room, she paused. “ **Ah, I'll need to tilt to reach that one at some point.** ” she said, looking up at the terminal sticking out of the wall.   
Returning to the first room, she spotted the ivy above the metal doors, and the thick wooden bar locking them shut. Shrugging, she pulled out an arrow, lighting it on the nearby blue flame and firing it at the ivy.   
The flames burned rapidly, and within seconds, the ivy and bar were gone. Pearl then used Magnesis to open the metal doors. 

In the small room beyond, she spotted a terminal, and a trail of ivy on the wall. Her eyes followed it up, and she spotted the faint orange glow of a chest. Stepping back, she switched to a fire arrow and shot it at the ivy, which burned rapidly, consuming the entire swatch of ivy.   
The chest suddenly fell directly in front of the terminal and Pearl flinched. “ **Glad I wasn’t standing there...** ” she muttered, stepping forwards to open it. 

“ **Okay, four terminals left...** ” she sighed, returning to the previous room.   
Next to the blue flamed torches, she spotted what looked like a door, but with a hole in it. Moving closer, she spotted the Sheikah symbol etched into the area around the hole, and cautiously peered through, spotting an unlit torch.   
Glancing at the torch nearby, she nodded. “ **Got it.** ”   
Lifting an arrow on the torch, she quickly shuffled over and fire it through the hole, lighting the torch beyond. The door quickly slid open, and Pearl stepped through. 

Ignoring the streams of flames for now, she quickly checked around the room, finding more ivy and some wooden planks holding up what Magnesis revealed to be a metal cube.   
“ **Hmm... Ah, I see what I’m supposed to do here...** ” she sighed. “ **Use the cube to block the flames...** ” she looked down at her armor with a smirk. “ **But, I'm flameproof, so why bother with all of that.** ”   
With a grin, she casually stepped through the flames, finding another terminal on the other side. 

With the terminal activated, the flames behind her were deactivated. Pearl returned to the previous room, looking around. “ **Ummm** **... I’ll check out that ramp first.** ” she nodded. “ **I’ll have to tilt this sucker to get there. I’d better take a flame with me, just in case...** ”   
Using the slate, she tilted the beast and walked along the slight curved surface until she was standing on what used to be the wall. She walked up the ramp, thankful for her balance and sure footing as she stepped atop the metal bars.   
Outside again, she looked around and finally down over the edge, spotting another lantern just below. 

Carefully dropping down, she lit the lantern, and a metal gate popped open nearby. Nodding, she then tilted the beast back to normal, and the orange orb inside started to roll down the caged ramp. “ **Knew that cage was for something...** ” she smiled. “ **Now, I just** **gotta** **get it to that hole in the wall...** ” 

When the orb came to a halt, she nodded and tilted the beast again, allowing the orb to start down the long ramp.   
As she went to follow it, she paused, looking down over the side of the ramp. “ **Oh, I can reach that terminal from here...** ” she nodded, pulling out the glider. 

With the third terminal activated, she dropped down and jogged to the bottom of the ramp.   
Using Magnesis, she lifted the small metal block, allowing the orb to drop down into the glowing hole below.   
A metal gate slid open nearby, and Pearl dropped down to find another terminal inside the tiny room. “ **One more left...** ” 

Tilting the beast, she returned to the first room. She then immediately tilted it again and went back up the ramp.   
Halfway up, she paused. “ **Hmm... How can I reach that chest?** ” she looked around and up, her eyes roaming across the ceiling. “ **Maybe dropping down to it through one of those holes?** ” she shrugged and continued up the ramp. “ **Well, I'll come back for it.** ” 

Outside, she destroyed another glowing eyeball before walking carefully across the fins of the beast to reach the chest.   
Tilting the beast, she easily walked over to the final terminal.   
< ** _Nice! That was the last terminal! Now go ahead and start up the main control unit!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Soon,_** ** _Daruk_** ** _... soon..._** >

Pearl looked towards the head of Darunia. “ **I’d better look up there.** **Medoh** **had a chest in its head, maybe** **Rudania** **does too...** ” 

Standing on the head, she looked to her left and spotted several floating skulls. Cautiously, she looked around, but could not spot the eyeball. “ **Okay... Maybe if I tilt? Hopefully, I won’t get thrown off...** ” 

Pearl sighed with relief as Darunia’s body rotated, leaving the head stationary. Below, she could now just see the eyeball, and she quickly shot it before taking out the now four skulls.   
Gliding down to the area, she looked around, spotting a small hole below. Gliding again, she dropped through, landing next to a chest. “ **Hey, silver rupee! Worth it.** ” she grinned, adding it to her collection.   
Hitting the crystal nearby, the door slid open, and after going through, she opted to tilt Darunia twice to return to the interior of the beast. 

“ **Okay, now for the chest on the ramp...** ” she muttered.   
Finding the door to the travel gate open, she ran up the short ramp and walked over the beasts’ back.   
Looking down through the various open holes for the right spot, she jumped and glided down, landing on the long ramp and walking over to the chest, collecting the bow within.   
“ **Right, I think that’s everything...** ” she said, examining the map. “ **I can take a quick rest, eat lunch, then see what monstrosity this beast has for me...** ” 


	44. Fireblight

As Pearl ate her meal, she looked up at the ceiling. “ **Hmm... I’ll have to be careful of those holes during the fight. Unless they seal up again.** ”   
Finishing the meal, she sighed. “ **Alright, I’m fed and rested. I have the Master Sword, my strongest shield, some fireproofed armor... Meh, it’s as good as it’s** **gonna** **get.** ” 

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Bracing herself, Pearl reached the slate towards the control unit. Once again, the dark red and black evil-looking flames appeared, enveloping the control unit. She watched as the blue streaks of light gathered above, slowly forming into the beast. It had one large sword for an arm, which glowed blue like that of the smaller Guardians. “ **Huh... That’s weird...** ” Pearl muttered, drawing the Master Sword from its sheath. 

The monstrosity roared, its single giant blade arm glowing blue as flames burst from its body. “ **But I’ll worry about that later!** ” she yelled, dodging an attack.   
Daruk’s voice echoed through the area. < ** _Watch yourself now! That ugly pain in the crag is_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _handiwork. Thing got the best of me a hundred years ago. Good luck, little guy! Go get ‘_** ** _im_** ** _!_** >

The beast flung a burst of flames at her, and she dodged to the left. It moved over, and she waited, jumping back as it swung its giant sword at her. Drawing her bow, she fired an arrow at it just as it moved, missing the eye but still striking it.   
The nightmare moved again, and Pearl bolted as quickly as possible, drawing in close as it neared the ground. Grabbing her sword, she slammed it against the monsters' base, causing immense damage. 

It glowed and warped to above the control unit, summoning a fireball into its hand. It touched it to the blade, heating it red-hot.   
“ **Okay... avoiding that...** ” Pearl muttered, watching it warily for the next move.   
Suddenly, there was a burst of energy, and a fiery shield formed around it.   
< ** _That flaming ball is dangerous._** > Daruk warned. 

The monster moved high into the air, and seemed to gather energy.   
Pearl fired an arrow, but it burned up in the shield. Her eyes caught the small motes of embers being drawn towards the monsters, and she quickly ran towards it. Halting, she created a round bomb and threw it at the beast.   
The bomb was sucked in through the shield, and Pearl detonated it.   
With a flicker, the shield fell, and the beast fell to the ground, stunned. 

Pearl ran forwards, striking it again and again with the Master Sword.   
All too quickly, it recovered, warping away. It rested in the middle of one of the sealed skylights, shield down. As she ran towards it, it focused a beam onto her, preparing to fire an energy attack.   
Sliding to a stop, Pearl rammed the blade into the creatures' base, and it reared back, roaring in pain. 

As the monster squealed, its form flickered, alternating between solid and streams of blue light.   
With a final roar, it tore apart with great force.   
The flames around the control unit died away, and Pearl watched the red heart-shaped container slowly drift down. 

Tapping it, she noted the lack of the usual warm sensation, her eyebrow rising. “ **Huh, I don’t think I even got injured that time...** ” she mused. “ **Good** **armor** **, this.** ”   
Ignoring the voice warning her about not being able to return, Pearl tapped the slate to the control unit. 

< ** _Great work, little guy!_** >   
Pearl turned to see a large Goron with a white beard and moustache, floating with blue flames around his feet.   
< ** _I owe you big for this. Because of you, my spirit is finally free. Can't thank you enough!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _It was my pleasure,_** ** _Daruk_** ** _._** >   
He looked at her curiously. < ** _Of course, I'm still not sure who you are. You have that sword... A descendant of Link, maybe?_** >   
Pearl tensed and sighed. < ** _Um, actually... The truth is..._** > she shook her head. < ** _I’m... My name is Pearl. I was... Well, I'm actually a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** >   
< ** _Ah!_** ** _Urbosa’s_** ** _granddaughter!_** > he grinned.   
She reached up and took her helmet off. < ** _More like..._** ** _Ganondorf’s_** ** _daughter._** >

Daruk stared at her. < ** _Ganondorf? As in...?_** >   
Pearl flinched. < ** _No. That is... That’s the demon that possessed him long ago. The only thing left of my father is part of the name. The one inside Vah_** ** _Medoh_** ** _saw my face, but from the attempts to kill me, it had no recognition. These things are not my father. Just... demons... who share his name._** > she sighed, putting the helmet back on. < ** _Well, part of it, anyway..._** >   
Daruk looked at her curiously. < ** _And yet, you have the Master Sword, and can gain access to the Divine Beasts... How does that work, if you’re not a Champion or their descendant?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Yeah, I don’t know how, only that the goddesses brought me back to this realm. Ganon’s getting stronger, Zelda’s growing weaker. Link's still out cold. I was only brought here because the goddesses were worried that Link wouldn’t wake up in time to be useful. I'm trying to do as much as possible to weaken Ganon for him, whilst collecting as many powerful weapons as I can. If Link wakes up in time, I'll happily hand the bag and everything in it over to him, and he can go to the castle. I just wanna survive long enough to go home. Or, to my new home, in the other realm..._** > she sighed deeply. < ** _I’ve lived there for far longer than I did here, so..._** >

Daruk rubbed the back of his neck. < ** _Well, it’s taken me by surprise, but the fact is: you freed me and_** ** _Rudania_** ** _here. For that, I'm grateful._** > he looked around the area. < ** _I feel like I should apologise. I was doing all I could to protect Hyrule when that thing got the best of me. Sorry that me resting with the rubble caused such a mess._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Think nothing of it. Stuff happens. We deal with it as best we can._** > she rolled her shoulders. < ** _Even if sometimes that stuff isn’t actually our problem, but we’re stuck being the only one who is willing to handle it..._** >

Daruk smiled. < ** _The good news is,_** ** _Rudania_** ** _is now back under our control! That means that our century-old_** ** _Ganon_** ** _beat-down plan can finally go into effect!_** > he sighed. < ** _I’m_** ** _gonna_** ** _take this down the mountain. I'll have a better shot at_** ** _Ganon_** ** _there. And then, once you’ve made your way into Hyrule Castle, we’re_** ** _gonna_** ** _light that thing up!_** > he pounded one fist into another. He looked at Pearl. < ** _Hmm... I_** ** _wanna_** ** _give you something. It’s a special power of mine called_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection._** >   
Pearl’s eyed widened. < ** _Oh, I’ve seen that before. Your descendant,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _, has it too. He helped me get here._** > she paused. < ** _Are... are you sure you want to give this to me? I mean... knowing who..._** > she trailed off.   
< ** _It’s no good to me now that I'm a spirit..._** > he shrugged. < ** _But it might be useful for you._** >

He clapped his hands together. < ** _Here it comes!_** > he shouted. His hands pulled apart, and she could see an energy gathering between them. Daruk grunted and punched the glowing red ball of energy, sending it towards Pearl.   
Pearl felt it enter her body, and she felt herself being lifted up, flames dancing across her body. As she settled back down, she felt the medallion in her hand, gleaming red, and she squeezed it, summoning the energy within. A glowing red bubble formed around her, and she looked around her in amazement before dropping the field. 

Daruk looked at her. < ** _From this moment forth, the power of protection, from the depths of my soul, now lives inside you._** > he thumped his chest for emphasis.   
Pearl smiled at him. < ** _Thank you..._** > she whispered as the white-pinpoints of light started to dance across her.   
< ** _Good luck, little guy! And give my regards to the princess!_** > she heard as she was whisked away. 

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From within the crater of Death Mountain, the sound of stomps was heard. Suddenly, the beast crested the rim, and it paused, giving a roar. It started slowly down the mountain, pausing to observe the castle far below.   
Yunobo stood up, his eyes wide at the sight of the beast, its formerly red eyes now glowing a peaceful blue as the beast looked from side to side. 

Suddenly, its head open up into four separate panels, and after a brief moment, a burst of energy gathered and burst forth, shooting the targeting laser straight towards the castle.   
< ** _Well, that_** ** _oughta_** ** _do it!_** > Daruk mused. < ** _We’re set here, now we’ve just_** ** _gotta_** ** _wait for the perfect shot. Once Pearl is in the castle, or Link if he wakes up by then,_** ** _Rudania_** ** _will unleash an epic blast._** ** _Ganon_** ** _won’t know what hit ‘_** ** _im_** ** _._** > he gazed out across the green landscape wistfully. < ** _Hyrule looks pretty good from up here... even after a hundred years._** > he sighed. < ** _The_** ** _ol_** ** _’ rolling grounds sure are a sight for sore eyes. I wonder how the_** ** _Gorons_** ** _fared after the Great Calamity._** > he looked down the mountain, trying to spot any stray Gorons. < ** _I sure hope everyone down there is still going strong after every—Huh?_** > he paused. 

Yunobo stood staring up at the Divine Beast, his gaze filled with awe. His eyes roamed over, taking in everything, and paused on the large glowing figure atop the beasts back. < ** _Is that..._** > he whispered.   
Daruk grinned. < ** _Hey! Well look at that! Still going strong indeed!_** > he raised a fist into the air.   
Yunobo looked at the figure staring down at him. As Daruk nodded, Yunobo gasped. < ** _Hahahaahahaha_** ** _! Yeah!_** > he cheered, waving. < ** _Woo!_** >

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Pearl reappeared at the entrance to the Goron City. Looking at the small red medallion in her hand, she smiled. < ** _Thank you,_** ** _Daruk_** ** _... It is an honour..._** > she whispered before tucking it into her bag.   
Looking at her slate, she shrugged. “ **Oh yeah, I should tell** **Bludo** **that everything’s okay now.** ” 

< ** _Hm! Hey! It's you!_** ** _Impa_** ** _told me everything. You really are something else._** > he grumbled as Pearl flinched. < ** _I can’t believe you conquered_** ** _Rudania_** ** _... As much as I hate to admit it... I’m impressed._** >   
Pearl looked back warily. < ** _Oh,_** ** _uhh_** ** _..._** >   
< ** _But good grief... did_** ** _ya_** ** _have to do it just when my back pain went away? I was all ready and_** ** _rarin_** ** _’ to go at_** ** _Rudania_** ** _myself! Now you’ve gone and made it look like I was just_** ** _fibbin_** ** _’ about my back pain this whole time! Imagine that! ME!_** > he burst out laughing. 

Just then, there was a rumble, and they looked up to see a red-coloured Goron come tumbling down, crashing into a large chunk of metal that was sticking out of one of the buildings.   
Yunobo stood up, wobbling slightly. He shook himself off and ran over, panting. < ** _Boss! Boss! Did_** ** _ya_** ** _see! She did it! She tamed_** ** _Rudania_** ** _! She's amazing!_** >   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Well, I couldn’t have done it without you’re help,_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _. You were very brave indeed._** >   
Yunobo blushed. < ** _Awww_** ** _,_** ** _ya_** ** _mean it?_** >   
< ** _Yep._** > Pearl grinned. < ** _Daruk_** ** _would be proud._** >

Bludo huffed. < ** _Well, I'm happy to see that_** ** _Yunobo_** ** _finally got his act together. But enough back patting and other such nonsense. Take a look at this!_** > he pointed up the mountain, where Rudania could be seen standing atop the crater’s rim, the red targeting laser focusing at the castle far away. < ** _The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Rudania_** ** _has calmed down and returned to his peaceful ways. Now we can get back to_** ** _diggin_** ** _’ for ore around Death Mountain._** > he looked down at Pearl. < ** _...Oh right! I've still_** ** _gotta_** ** _thank you!_** > he pointed back at his house. < ** _There’s some treasure in my house. Grab it. Keep it. It's yours. It's a sharp blade that_** ** _Daruk_** ** _himself once wielded. I'm sure you’ll be able to make good use of it!_** > he glanced back. < ** _And I suppose... in light of what you’ve done for us..._** > he sighed. < ** _I guess I can grant you free roam within the_** ** _Goron_** ** _lands._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you. Ah... I do have one request though..._** >   
Bludo huffed. < ** _What?_** >   
< ** _Uhh_** ** _... If you could send a message to the Zora, let them know that I truly want to help... It’d be a big help when I visit their lands. Otherwise... They still might prefer to attack me..._** > she sighed deeply.   
Bludo frowned. < ** _Yeah, alright. I can do that. It's long past time to let bygones be bygones anyways._** >   
< ** _Thank you, Boss. Sincerely._** > Pearl smiled before she went to open the chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, my battle with Fireblight really was that quick. However, he didn’t bother using his sword. Like, at all. Dumbass. He pretty much just shot fire at me, which did nothing due to the upgraded Flamebreaker armor. Created the bubble, and died by my sword! Mwahahahaha! I lost like, three quarters of a heart before the fight because of some skulls, and that was it. Fireblight didn’t even touch me! 
> 
> See ya next weekend!


	45. On Guardian

“ **I’ll carry it.** ” Garnet said, taking the wooden tray of prepared food from the counter.   
As she stepped outside, she paused. “ **Pearl’s back!** ” she called into the house as she stepped aside. 

They watched the lithe woman walk across the stony ground and jump down. “ **Hey guys...** ”   
“ **Pearl!** ” Amethyst wrapped her into a hug. “ **Uhh** **... you smell** **kinda** **burnt...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I’m not surprised. I did just spend some time inside the crater of an active volcano...** ”   
“ **New** **armor** **?** ” Connie asked, pointing at the helmet.   
“ **Yeah...** ” she chuckled. “ **I went and got it upgraded by** **Cotera** **, and I am so damned glad I did. This stuff.** ” she tapped the helmet. “ **Makes me fireproof.** ” 

“ **Whoa...** ” Steven breathed. “ **Like, actual fireproof?** ”   
Pearl grinned behind the metal grate. Pulling away from Amethyst, she pointed back across the bridge. “ **Come with me a second.** ”   
Amethyst shrugged. “ **Sure. Garnet? Put that back inside for a second.** ” 

After following her across the bridge, they paused at the square and brightly coloured buildings of Hudson’s company.   
“ **Watch this.** ” Pearl said, stepping into the campfire.   
The group stared as she stood there, flames licking around her legs, a massive grin on her face.   
“ **Whoa, that’s so cool!** ” Connie breathed.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah. I had to find some sort of monster inside the Divine Beast, and of course, this one was fire-themed. It threw fire at me, and honestly... I didn’t take any damage during that fight at all. Of course, the next one will probably be extra dangerous, just to make up for it, but still.** ” 

Returning to the house, Garnet carried the tray back out and Amethyst started cooking everything expertly. “ **Pearl, you getting in on** **this?** ” she pointed at the pan.   
“ **Nah, I had lunch not too long ago. I decided to stop and eat before finishing the Beast, just in case. I'll probably do that every time, actually...** ” Pearl shrugged as she placed her helmet down beside her.   
“ **So, you’re back for the day, or...?** ” Amethyst asked as she placed the Hylian Bass into the pan, which sizzled gently.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No. I’m** **gonna** **go and try to find some more shrines to clear. Now that I have two pretty good new abilities... OH!** ” she stood. “ **Steven, I** ** _have_** **to show you something.** ” she grinned. 

“ **What it is, Pearl?** ” he asked. “ **Oh! Is it a present?** ”   
Pearl laughed. “ **No, but it is pretty cool. You see, the** **Goron’s** **Champion,** **Daruk** **, had this special ability, which he passed down to at least one of his descendants. I met the kid,** **Yunobo** **. Very brave; he helped me reach the Beast,** **Rudania** **. But after freeing** **Rudania** **, I met** **Daruk’s** **spirit. I ended up telling him who I was, which was awkward...** ” she sighed. “ **But he decided that I did still help free him and** **Rudania** **, so... He gave me this.** ” she took out a small red medallion. “ **It’s called** **Daruk’s** **Protection, and it allows me to use their special ability.** ”   
“ **Cool. What does it do?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl smirked and held the medallion. As they watched, she went into a defensive posture, and a bright red bubble formed around her. 

Steven’s eyes lit up. “ **You can do a bubble now?!** ” he squealed.   
“ **Yeah.** ” Pearl said, ending the spell. “ **Problem is, I have to be holding the medallion to do it... Hmm...** ” she looked thoughtful for a moment. “ **I could try attaching it to a shield.** **So** **it activates when I want to defend myself...** ” she took out a large metal shield and sat down, fiddling with the strap on the back.   
“ **Wow, that’s amazing!** ” Steven grinned. “ **Can I try? I kinda miss my bubble...** ”   
Pearl shrugged and handed him the medallion. “ **Okay. But don’t worry if it doesn’t work for you.** **Daruk** **gave it to me, so he might have locked it to me. I** **dunno** **how these things work.** ” she shrugged and returned to the shield’s strap.   
Steven took up a defensive pose, and the bubble formed around him. “ **WOW!** ” he called. “ **It still works!** ” 

Pearl waited until he dropped the bubble. “ **Okay Steven. I'm** **gonna** **need that back now. I've figured out where to attach it.** ”   
As they watched, she attached it to a point on the back of the shield, pulling it off and replacing it. “ **Good, I can remove it in a hurry when the shield breaks and slap it onto another one.** ” she murmured, standing up and strapping the shield on. She moved the shield in front of her, bracing, and the bubble came up immediately. “ **Perfect.** ” she sighed, the bubble disappearing as she moved to put the shield onto her back.   
“ **Very cool.** ” Connie agreed.   
Amethyst looked over. “ **Lunch is ready.** ” she called. 

Pearl smiled as they settled down to eat. “ **Anyway, now that I have** **Revali’s** **Gale for extra gliding height, and** **Daruk’s** **Protection for defence, I'm** **gonna** **head back up and find more shrines. Actually...** ” she paused. “ **I might go and activate that tower. I couldn’t go it before because of the decayed Guardians around the base. But now, I can just glide over them. If I don’t make it, I can just bubble myself and wait for a better moment.** ” she nodded. “ **Yeah, I’ll do that first, before I get tired.** ”   
“ **Take care.** ” Garnet said before popping a chunk of fish into her mouth.   
“ **Come back soon.** ” Amethyst said.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.** ” taking out the slate, she gave them a wave before disappearing into blue light. 

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Pearl appeared at the Kaam Ya’tak shrine, and turned, looking up the mountain behind her. “ **Okay, if I get up there, I can have another go at gliding to the tower...** ” Nodding, she begun to jog up the slope. 

Standing on top of the mountain, she took out the glider and looked out towards the tower, green medallion in hand. “ **Once that Guardian Stalker goes off that way...** ”   
As it turned and started to move, she crouched and leapt into the air. The updraft pulled her up high, and at its peak, she leaned forward, aiming towards the tower.   
Nearing the platform, she felt the heat of a targeting laser and clung to the lattice. She leapt up and across, reaching the shelter of the platforms edge. With a sigh of relief, she looked up. “ **Nearly there...** ” 

Pearl examined her new map section. “ **Okay, now I just have one section missing. The Zora’s Domain.** ” She looked out at the distant tower , a single streak of orange amongst the blue. “ **But they can wait...** ” she sighed, looking around. “ **Ah, there’s a shrine there... A bit close to the castle, but I’ll have to do it at some point...** ” she marked it with a beacon and looked around. “ **Hmm... That’s the only thing I can see...** ” she shrugged. “ **Okay, in the morning, I’ll go back to the shrine and walk around the mountain, avoid all these damned Guardians...** ” 

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With the sun rising into the sky, Pearl sighed and stood. “ **Well, at least I won’t have to worry about any blood moons for a while... It doesn’t seem to be affecting the Divine Beasts, at least...** ” she shrugged as she pulled out her slate, glancing at the giant bird and lizard still firing their targeting lasers towards the castle. 

Walking along, she reached a grassy hill. As she crested it, she came face to face with a Guardian Stalker. “ **Shit!** ” she yelled as it glowed red and started targeting her. Pearl quickly used the Stasis rune, freezing the machine in its tracks. She sprinted towards it, yanking the glowing Master Sword from its sheath as she went.   
As Stasis broke, the Guardian shifted, but she was already there, smashing into one of its legs repeatedly. It reeled back, tipping onto its side, and she slammed the sword into the crystal underneath, causing massive damage as parts flew out.   
The Stalker righted itself, and tried to move away, but she continued her panicked assault, cheering internally as a leg broke off with a metallic screech.   
It prepared to fire its energy beam, and she quickly pulled her shield out. Daruk’s Protection surrounded her, and the energy beam rebounded, smashing into the machine’s single glowing eye. 

Pearl panted as the machine whirred and exploded, leaving a pile of scattered parts behind. “ **Holy crap... I... I did... did it...** ” she panted. Looking around, she took out the slate and marked her location with a skull before she collected the scattered parts. “ **Thanks,** **Daruk** **...** ” she whispered, putting the sword away. 

Climbing a tree, she looked ahead at the shrine. “ **Hmm,** **Skywatchers** **, a possible Decayed Guardian... I’ll have to be careful...** ” she muttered as she jumped down. 

Walking towards the shrine, she kept her head on a swivel, looking around constantly. Every so often, she turned checking behind her. “ **This area’s full of Guardians...** ” she grumbled. “ **But I suppose it makes sense.** ”   
Pausing, she groaned. “ **Another Stalker?!** ” she sighed. “ **Maybe if I get to the top of Mt. Gustav, I can get a better idea of what else is lying in wait for me...** ” 

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“ **Hmm... Okay, there’s three** **Skywatchers** **, but one isn’t an issue right now, cause it’s all the way over there... I only really need to worry about that one, and that Stalker. I won’t be able to get there** **without** **it seeing me... Well, maybe I can lure it up the slope a little, then take it out. If all else fails, there’s still** **Daruk’s** **Protection.** ” she sighed, checking the Master Sword. “ **At least this is pretty effective against them.** ” 

As the Guardian exploded, she sighed, putting the faded sword away. “ **Figures. At least it didn’t break though...** ” she shrugged and she collected the scattered parts. “ **I just have to avoid any Guardians until it has a chance to recharge.** ” 

Once the Skywatcher had moved away, she darted forward, keeping the Decayed Guardian far to her right as she sprinted towards the gap in the rocks.   
Slipping through, she located the shrine and opened it with a sigh. 

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“ **Typical, just typical...** ” she muttered. “ **Of course, it’d be a fight against a Guardian scout... At least it was an easy one.** ” she sighed, checking the slate. “ **Okay, if I follow this path towards Ridgeland, I can get away from these damned murder-bots...** ” 

One the mountain ridge, she looked down at the Skywatcher patrolling the path below. “ **Glad I detoured up the mountain...** ” she muttered. A brief flash came from her bag, and she peered in. “ **Oh! The Master Sword’s recharged. Brilliant.** ” 

Gliding down towards the ruins, she nervously glanced back at the Skywatcher, sighing with relief as it veered away in its pre-set path. She looked out towards the island to the north, checking her slate for details. “ **Hmm... doesn’t have a name... Maybe it’s one of those places where the name only appears when I visit it?** ” she sighed. “ **Right, small detour. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a shrine.** ” 

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One the island, she looked around, checking the area with Magnesis. “ **Oh, there’s a chest in the water.** ” Standing knee-deep, she managed to reach it with the slate’s powerful magnetic beam and pulled it out onto the beach. “ **Silver rupee, yes!** ” she grinned.   
As it started to rain, she sighed. “ **Why not? ...I’ll have a quick look around here and see what’s this island is about, then I'll find somewhere safe for the night.** ” 

Looking at the vast expanse of brambles covering the hillside, she sighed. “ **Of course. I can’t burn it, or bomb that rubble there, because it’s** **_fucking_ ** **raining!** ” she sighed heavily. 

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As the rain slowly petered out, she sighed and took the shield off her head. “ **Okay, now I can actually get some work done...** ” she muttered, checking the time. “ **And I better do it quick. The** **Stals** **will come out soon.** ”   
Firing a fire arrow at the brambles, they quickly took light despite their soaking. As the flame burned higher, she readied a bomb arrow, firing it and blasting away the rubble. Once the flames died away, the rock cleared of everything flammable, she started climbing up towards the newly revealed cave. Inside, she found a shrine, and sighed with relief. “ **Good, this was worth it after all...** ” she waited as the door opened. “ **I’ll clear this, then spend the night here.** ” 


	46. Dragon On

“ **I can’t believe it was another damned Guardian** **combat shrine** **. What’s with this area and murder-bots?!** ” she huffed in frustration.   
Looking out at the lightening sky, she sighed. “ **Screw it. I’m getting away from this area...** ” she muttered, taking out the slate. “ **I** **’ll go somewhere les** **s** **dangerous. Maybe the active fucking volcano!** ” 

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Standing on Eldin tower, Pearl looked down. “ **I think the slate alerted me to a shrine around there somewhere...** ” she muttered, looking down at the lave lake below. “ **But with the time limit of the exilirs, I couldn’t check it out...** ” she used the scope. “ **That might be the top of a shrine...** ” she mused. “ **Well, only one way I'm** **gonna** **find out...** ” 

Gliding towards the rock island in the lava lake, she felt the heat suddenly rise around her. “ **Still so glad I got this armor upgraded...** ” she murmured.   
Landing on the island, she was amazed to see movement in the lava. Using the camera, she read out the identification. “ **Fire-breath** **Lizalfos** **... Those things can swim in lava?!** ” she exclaimed. “ **Huh... They couldn’t in my day...** ” she sighed and turned to the shrine behind her. “ **So much has changed...** ” 

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Standing on the shrine, she sighed. “ **Okay, I guess... Back to** **Goron** **City. I still need to locate that shrine up near the Northern Mine...** ” Pearl nodded, warping away. 

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Arriving at the shrine above Goron City, Pearl turned and looked out over the large lava lake. “ **Hmm... That’s a mine cart track. It’s worth having a look at...** ” she shrugged, jumping down behind the shrine.   
Finding the mine cart, she jumped on board and placed a bomb into the cage. “ **Okay, let’s see where this takes me...** ” 

As the cart clattered and squealed along the track, Pearl regularly restocked the cage with a fresh bomb. She blew one early, giving it a burst of speed to avoid two flaming Keese that had started to swoop down, and breathed a sigh of relief as she left them behind. Checking the map, she noted her location. “ **Hmm... The Ilse of** **Rabac** **... Looks like a crab...** ” she murmured, glancing back up.   
With the shrine in view, the cart rattled to a stop against the barrier, and she jumped off. “ **Ha! Hopefully, this is the one the slate picked up before...** ” 

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Returning to Goron City, she glided down to the path, and looked around. “ **Okay, I might as well see if anybody here knows where a shrine might be hidden...** ”   
< ** _I wonder when my little brother will come home..._** >   
Pearl paused and looked at the concerned-looking Goron nearby. < ** _Uh, Hello. Is something wrong?_** >   
The Goron looked down to her. < ** _Oh! Um... My little brother,_** ** _Gonguron_** ** _, has come home yet. He can’t really be_** ** _searchin_** ** _’ for the secret of the hero in the depths of Gorko Tunnel, right?_** > he muttered.   
‘ _Sounds like something I should check out..._ ’ Pearl mused. < ** _If you want, I can go look for him..._** >   
He shook his head. < ** _Nah. It’s just an excuse for him to slack off and dream his life away! I really wish he’d grow up a little..._** > he sighed, turning away.   
Pearl heard the slate give a soft beep, and checked it. ‘ _Yeah, shrine quest. Score..._ ’ 

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After warping back to Daqa Nah shrine, she ran south over the rocky landscape. Finally, she dropped down into a canyon, shuddering slightly as she looked around. “ **Let’s see... somewhere around here... Oh!** ” she spotted the ramshackle arch above the cave entrance. “ **That must be it.** ”   
Inside, she found a Goron sprawled out on the ground, panting and groaning.   
As she opened her mouth to speak, she heard a noise behind her, and turned to find the Goron’s brother entering the cave. < ** _Brother? Are you okay?!_** >   
< ** _No..._** > the collapsed Gonguron replied. < ** _Too... hungry... to... dig..._** >

The other Goron sighed and turned to her. < ** _I need you to do me a favour! As a brother, I just can’t sit idly by. I have to help him! Exit here and head down the hill to_** ** _Gortram_** ** _Cliff. There you can find Rock Roasts_** ** _rollin_** ** _’ around. I need_** ** _ya_** ** _to please grab one of ‘_** ** _em_** ** _for me. I’d do it, but..._** > he looked away. < ** _I have this rare condition, called_** ** _Goron_** ** _shoulder... Yeah..._** >   
“ **Sounds totally fake...** ” Pearl nodded. < ** _I’ll be back soon._** >

Pearl glided down the slope, landing gently near a small pool of lava at the bottom. Behind it, near the wall, she found a few lumps of stone shaped like racks of roast meat. She glanced at the sign nearby. “ **I guess these are the rock roasts...** ” She sighed. “ **Gorons** **are crazy...** ” she muttered, lifting one up. “ **Oof** **, heavy...** ” 

As she started back up the long slope, he eyes widened as large boulders came rolling down towards her. With effort, she hauled the rock roast to one side, narrowly avoiding being hit.   
Above, a Moblin was crushed by a boulder, its screamed echoing around the canyon before being cut off.   
“ **Holy shit...** ” Pearl breathed. “ **I think I know why he didn’t want to come down here...** ” 

Carefully, Pearl hauled the rock roast up the slope. As a Moblin started towards her, she threw the rock roast at its face, knocking it back. The roast landed and started to roll down the hill towards, but she quickly grabbed it and darted past the Moblin, placing the roast on a flat surface before drawing a spear. She slammed it into the Moblin’s face repeatedly until it fell, and she stepped back towards the roast.   
Above, another Moblin took aim with its bow, and she dodge to the left, kneeling to pick the arrow up before it could roll away. She drew her own bow and sent the arrow back, hitting the Moblin in the face. “ **Return to sender.** ” Pearl snarked as it fell to the ground, stunned, and was promptly run over by a boulder. 

Pearl picked the roast up and carried it to the archer’s platform, quickly using her bow to take out some FireChus before moving over towards the wall to avoid another boulder.   
As she near another group of FireChus, a boulder almost as wide as the canyon appeared above, and she stared and moved towards the nearest wall.   
The boulder crushed the FireChus and continued down the slope, narrowly missing Pearl as it rumbled past her.   
In its wake, she hurried up the rest of the way, turning to watch the boulder crash down into the lava pool with a loud rumble. “ **Well, I don’t think they’ll be getting anymore rock roasts...** ” she sighed, turning towards the cave. “ **And I am** ** _not_** **doing that again anyway.** ” 

Eagerly, the Goron took the rock roast, placing it in the nearby cooking pot. He poked it with his finger, and after a short while, it was glowing red hot.   
Gonguron sniff the air and sat up, staring wide-eyed at the rock roast. Jumping up, he grabbed it and happily started tearing chunks of stone away with his teeth, until finally nothing was left.   
< ** _Ahhh_** ** _! I feel like I have the strength to do anything now. Just watch me!_** > he turned to grab his pickaxe and started hammering away fiercely at the thick red rock behind.   
After a few blows, it shattered, and Pearl grinned as a shrine came into view.   
< ** _It’s the secret of the hero!_** > Gonguron called < ** _I’ve found it!_** >   
His brother cheered. < ** _You did it, brother! Although, it does look like the one above_** ** _Goron_** ** _City..._** >   
As they started cheering and celebrating, Pearl ignored them and started towards the shrine, opening it with her slate. 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl paused and examined her map. “ **Well, I don’t think there’s anything else of interest here, so... Where to next?** ” she moved the cursor around, examining the different areas. “ **Huh. I haven’t been there before... Mt** **Lanaryu** **... Looks cold, but I have the** **Snowquill** **set...** ” she zoomed in, checking the details. “ **I could start from** **Hateno** **Village.** ” 

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Pearl waved as she approached the house. “ **Hey guys.** ”   
“ **Pearl!** ” Steven called, scrambling to his feet. “ **You done for the day?** ”   
She shook her head as she happily returned his hug. “ **Nah, just a pit** **stop** **. I’m** **gonna** **try to go up that mountain.** ” she pointed at the distant snow-covered peak as she reached into her bag, pulling out some clothes.   
Connie nodded. “ **Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. The other day, we heard someone in town talking about some sort of secret up there. She said...** ” she paused for a moment. “ **Umm... Oh! I remember now! She said ‘** ** _When the three summit trees become one, turn your back to them and head toward the sea. A trial encased in stone awaits you there._** **’ Sounds like directions to a shrine.** ”   
Pearl nodded, taking out the slate. “ **Let’s see... These dots here are probably the trees, so... I’ll go to that one and head east. I should start from up at the lab. It looks easier from there.** ” she looked up and smiled. “ **Thanks for the lead, Connie.** ”   
“ **No problem. Stay safe.** ” she waved as Pearl quickly entered the house to get changed. 

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Pearl glided over the Retsam Forest, landing on the rocky cliff beyond.   
Looking up at the three trees above, she shrugged. “ **Might as well** **start** **heading east from here...** ” 

Pearl trudged across the snow towards the left, keeping a wary eye on both the wolves and the sleeping Lizalfos nearby.   
Reaching the edge of the cliff, she nervously looked over. “ **Down there somewhere, I guess...** ” she glanced up the mountain, and her eyes widened. “ **What the hell is that?!** ” she pulled out the camera, and aimed it at the glowing creature ahead. “ **Naydra** **... Oh, maybe it’s another dragon, like** **Farosh** **? I’ll probably need one of its scales at some point...** ” she glanced down. “ **I’ll take care of this shrine first, then I’ll came back up here.** ” she nodded, setting a beacon before pulling out the glider. 

Landing amongst the trees, she turned and looked around, spotting a pile of rubble set into the sheer cliff wall. “ **Bingo.** ” she grinned, switching to the bomb rune.   
As the smoke cleared, she saw the glow of the shrine and jogged forwards, opening it and stepping inside. “ **I can stay the night in here.** ” she added, looking out at the darkening sky. 

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Pearl grinned as she reappeared outside the shrine. “ **Awesome... Another part of the climbing gear. Now I just need to find the tunic.** ” Shaking her head, she looked up the mountain. “ **Well, time to go check out** **Naydra** **.** ”   
Looking around, she spotted a snow-white slope leading up the mountain. “ **I’ll try that way.** ” 

Pearl scrambled up the slope on all fours, her feet sliding in the loose-packed snow. As she finally reached the top, she paused to catch her breath, which drifted in front of her face like fog. “ **Stars, that looked easier from below...** ” she sighed, looking towards the distant glowing dragon. “ **Okay, now to get over there.** ” 

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Pearl nervously approach the massive dragon and gasped. All over it were large patches of the purple and black gunk, and several glowing eyeballs. “ **Oh no...** ”   
The goddess statue below the dragon’s head spoke out. < ** _You have done well to find your way to this spring. You who have overcome numerous trials and obtained the spirit orbs... The one you see before you_** ** _is_** ** _an attendant to the Spring of Wisdom. This is_** ** _Naydra_** ** _, the blue spirit of_** ** _Lanayru_** ** _. This servant of the Goddess has looked over the spirits of this land for ages, unknown to the world of man. However, the dreaded Malice unleashed by Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _has possessed its body and reduced it to this state. You who have received the spirit orbs... Free_** ** _Naydra_** ** _from this Malice. Show what your power can achieve!_** >

Pearl gasped as a giant glowing eyeball above Naydra’s head suddenly opened, along with several smaller ones around it. Pearl drew her bow and carefully aimed, hitting the eyeball. It exploded, and after a moment, Naydra took flight.   
< ** _I’m trying to help you!_** > Pearl called out, but Naydra continued to move away. Pearl sighed. “ **Maybe the... Malice, or whatever, is controlling it... Right, I** **gotta** **help this poor beast.** ” 

Pearl follow Naydra up the mountain, watching as it circled above. Taking aim, she fired at the giant eyeball hanging beneath its body, and sighed as Naydra moved down the mountain. < ** _You’re not making this any easier for me!_** > she called out. 

Pearl glided after it, finally getting within range. Rapidly, she took aim, firing at the one on the dragons’ tail. It exploded, and Naydra roared, moving further down the mountain and Pearl caught the updraft again. < ** _Stay put, you dumbarse!_** > she shouted. 

Finally, after multiple attempts, she took out the last giant glowing eyeball. Naydra glowed and shook, and the layer of disease covering it broke away, revealing the dragons’ true colours of green and blue. It returned to the summit, pulling Pearl along in a fierce wind. 

Landing in front of the dragon, the goddess statue spoke again. < ** _Thanks to your efforts,_** ** _Naydra_** ** _, the spirit of Mount_** ** _Lanayru_** ** _, has been freed from the grips of an evil power. But a single ceremony remains. Now... Loose your arrow through the body of_** ** _Naydra_** ** _to free the spirit of this region!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Considering all the trouble it gave me when I was trying to help it, I'll happily shoot this bitch...** ” she muttered, drawing her bow and taking aim. 

The arrow hit Naydra on the snout, and as the spot glowed, the dragon rose up, taking flight yet again. The glowing spot suddenly fell to the ground in front of her, and as she stepped forwards, the statue spoke.   
< ** _That is the spirit_** ** _Nayrda’s_** ** _scale. It fell when your arrow struck. It serves as proof of the courage you received from the one who served the spring since ancient times. Come... Offer a scale from the blue spirit_** ** _Naydra_** ** _to the Spring of Wisdom._** >   
Pearl sighed and moved forwards, picking up the scale and immediately tossing it into the water. 

The splash started glowing with a brilliant white light, and Pearl heard a door opening behind the statue.   
< ** _Your path has shown itself. Now go forth._** >   
Pausing, she hopped forwards through the water, standing at the base of the statue. < ** _Actually, I could use some more strength and some stamina..._** >   
The statue was silent, and she sighed. < ** _You want me to do the shrine first? Fine..._** >


	47. Ballin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you might have noticed that I've posted three chapters this weekend. (If not, pop back and check out the other two)  
> Basically, I'm gonna take a short hiatus for the xmas/new years break.  
> I wanted to finish the Goron quest first though, so...  
> I'll be back the first weekend of the year.

Leaving the shrine, she paused, looking up at the dawning sky. “ **Stars, that took all night... Damned dragon...** ” she muttered.   
After swapping her orbs, she moved to dry ground. “ **Well, where should I go next?** ” she sighed, taking out the slate. “ **Hmm... Oh! I remember now. I couldn’t get up there before, but now...** ” she paused. “ **Ugh, that shrine’s the closest. I wonder if I can hold my breath when warping...** ” 

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Pearl sighed with relief as she left the piles of garbage behind. “ **Stars, that girl** ** _really_** **needs to figure out that she’s a terrible cook...** ”   
she looked up at the mountain above. 

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Through the blizzard, she spotted a dilapidated structure. Pushing through the driving snow, she found a ruined wooden cabin with a small, old but usable campfire set on the frozen floor. Movement caught her eye, and she saw a book on top of a small table, the pages flipping in the wind. She quickly knelt down, striking a flint with the edge of her sword. Quickly, the dry old wood burst into flames, and with a cautious glance at the overhanging ruined roof, Pearl collected the book and sat down, turning to the earliest entry. 

“ **Hmm... Oh, a shrine...** ” she flipped to the next entry. “ **A pedestal?** ” she glanced around. “ **Hmm... When the snowy mountain pedestal glows, cast a cold shadow onto its core.** ” she paused, mouthing the words. “ **Maybe it’s like the shrine near the** **Gerudo** **Highlands tower... The flat platform could be the pedestal... and I have to cast some sort of shadow onto it...** ” she read on. “ **Faint glow each day... hmm...** ” she flipped to the next page, finding it blank. “ **Whoever that was spent a fair amount of time here trying to figure it out...** ” she murmured, flipping back to check the dates, some weeks apart. 

Sighing, she nodded as the blizzard ended. “ **Right, now for this shrine.** ” Walking around, she sighed with relief when she finally spotted the flat platform, seemingly embedded into the side of the next cliff. Pearl raised an eyebrow as she looked around. “ **Okay, that... complicates matters... How am I going to cast a shadow on that?** ” Glancing around, she spotted a small snowball in the nearby pool of water. “ **...cold shadow...** **_Snowballs_** **!** ” she grinned. She watched the snowball get visibly smaller and frowned as it melted away under the sun’s rays. “ **Hmm... I’ll have to find the biggest one, and hope it lasts long enough...** ” she sighed. 

Pearl jogged as well as she could as she trudged through the thick snow, heading towards the stone pillars. With relief, she found a fair-sized snowball, and quickly rolled it a short distance. It quickly got away from her, and she winced as it rolled off the edge of the cliff. “ **Okay,** **gotta** **carry them.** ” she muttered as she picked up the other ball of snow.   
Finally, as the sun began its descent towards the desert, she reached the shallow pools of cold water and held the now much smaller snowball above her head. Its shadow slowly slipped across towards the pedestal, and as she felt the trickle of cold water down her spine, the shadow touched the pedestal just as it began to glow orange. 

There was a rumble, and as the pedestal glowed bright blue, Pearl dropped the snowball and watched the shrine rise up nearby. As Pearl waited for the slate to open the door, she sighed with relief. “ **Thanks for the hint, whoever you were...** ” 

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Leaving the shrine, Pearl grinned as she waved her new Moonlight Scimitar around. “ **Man, that takes me back...** ” she sighed, bagging it and looking around. Moving to the edge, she peered down towards the maze below. “ **Hmm... That looks tricky... Maybe I should save that for when I have more time, and I’m fully rested...** ” she shrugged, taking out the slate. “ **Let’s see... There’s still that shrine near the** **Hebra** **tower that I couldn’t find...** ” 

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Looking down from the tower, she looked towards the west. “ **Okay, my slate got a faint signal from a shrine over that way... I just** **gotta** **find it.** ” she said, taking out her glider. 

Landing, she looked down through the blizzard. “ **Can’t see anything. Signal's still faint... Unless... I’m standing on top of it?** ” she looked down and shrugged. “ **Well, if I’m wrong, I can always warp back up and try again...** ” 

“ **Hmm... Those are some big doors...** ” she mused. “ **Shrine’s definitely in there though.** ” Looking around, she found deep channels in the snow, and some small snowballs nearby. “ **Uhh** **... Oh! I got it!** ”   
Picking up a small snowball, she carried up the slope, trudging up as far as she was willing to go. Turning around, she sighed. “ **Hope this works...** ” she said, dropping the snowball.   
It started slowly rolling down the slope, picking up speed and more snow. As it neared the bend, it had more than tripled in sized, and its momentum carried it around the bend, just barely avoiding going over the deep drift.   
Pearl watched as it slammed into the doors with a resounding noise that reverberated throughout the area. 

As she looked up at the cliffs wary of an avalanche, the door creaked and fell, revealing a cave.   
Pearl used a shield to slid back down the slope rapidly. Pausing to pick up the amber in the doorway, she jogged to the shrine. 

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Returning to the Hebra tower, Pearl looked down at the cabin below. “ **Probably should check that out too... Even if it’s just someone who will point me down to that** **shrine** **I just did...** ” 

Landing, Pearl looked around the area, pausing at the sight of the man with the snow-white afro. < ** _Uh, hello?_** > she called.   
< ** _Hallooooo_** ** _,_** ** _kiddums_** ** _! If you wanted to try a round of Snowball Bowling, then you’re in luck, because this is the place!_** >   
“ **Kiddums** **?!** ” Pearl sighed. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... What’s that?_** >   
He grinned. < ** _What a sweet girl to show an interest! If you don’t know the rules, I can explain in a flurry._** > he pointed down the nearby slope, where ten wooden moose carvings stood. < ** _At the foot of the hill, we have ten, count ‘_** ** _em_** ** _, ten pillars or pins. Give that snowball a good, hearty toss from the tippy-top of the hill to try and knock over all the pins you can! The ball might take a few detours on its ride down the hill, but any pins it hits when it reaches bottom are done for! There's no cooler feeling than smashing all the pins at once! But see for yourself! Go on, have a ball!_** >

Pearl shrugged. < ** _Yeah, okay. Sounds like fun. I'll have a go._** >   
The man grinned again. < ** _Ah, the sweet music of ‘yes’! There’s a catch, though. One game_** ** _costs_** ** _a cool 20 rupees to play. Still up for a round?_** >   
Pearl shrugged, reaching for her rupee pouch. < ** _Yeah, sure._** >   
< ** _Aha! Play bells are ringing! I_** ** _gotta_** ** _set up the pins, but I'll be back in a flurry._** >

Pearl watched as he quickly ran down the hill and set up the pins.   
Soon, he returned. < ** _This is the snowball you’ll use. It might not look like much, but it’s snow joke. You get two rolls. Knock ‘_** ** _em_** ** _flat! If you can knock over all ten pins in one roll, that’s a strike. Only the most_** ** _snowtorious_** ** _bowlers can pull that off! A spare is when it takes both tries to finish the job. Not as good as a strike, but nothing to sneeze at! Well, good luck!_** >   
As he moved aside, Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Snow puns... Steven would be giggling already.** ” she sighed as she lifted the snowball up. 

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As the area was covered in darkness again, Pearl glanced up. “ **Uhh** **...** ” she looked around. < ** _Hey... How long have I been playing?_** >   
Pondo shrugged. < ** _All day and most of last night, little missy._** >   
Pearl stared. < ** _Whoa... Um, sorry..._** > she blushed. < ** _This is_** ** _kinda_** ** _addictive..._** >   
< ** _Don’t worry about it. I always enjoy finding another snow aficionado._** > Pondo laughed.   
Looking around, Pearl sighed. < ** _Um, I really have to get going now... Thanks for showing me this,_** ** _Pondo_** ** _._** >

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Arriving at the shrine near the stable, Pearl sighed. “ **Stars, I can’t believe I got so caught up in that silly game...** ” she shook her head. “ **Now I know how Garnet felt about that rhythm game with the meat...** ” she gave a shrugged. “ **On the plus side, he paid well. Must have been some crazy rich guy who retired out here to be able to afford to hand out so many gold** **rupee** **prizes...** ”   
Nearing the stable, she turned and looked around the area. “ **Well, maybe I can go north from here, and... Hey...** ” she stared through the light snowfall. “ **That’s a shrine over there...** ” she muttered, setting a beacon on the distant orange glow. “ **Okay, I can check that out first, then head north.** ” 

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Pearl trudged through the snow, occasionally stopping to battle a Lizalfos or fight off a few wolves.   
Finally reaching the stone cliffs, she started to climb, quickly reaching an area with large snowballs rolling down the hill. “ **Huh,** **Pondo** **would love this...** ” she rolled her eyes as she paused to check the map. “ **And of course, the shrine’s up the top of this slope.** ”   
Once the snowballs seemed to stop coming, she moved up the slope towards her beacon. 

Nervously, she looked up at the large plate-like sections of rock above. “ **I hope those are stable...** ” she whispered, trudging underneath.   
Finally, she reached the shrine and opened it, retreating inside. 

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Warping back to the shrine, Pearl glanced up at the night sky. “ **Okay, first thing in the morning, I’ll head north...** ” 

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Pearl ran along the side of the canyon, heading towards the mountain. Reaching the rocky foothills, she ran up the slope.   
Scrambling up the rock, she avoided the small monster camp. ‘ _There isn’t even a chest to raid... I’ll leave ‘em be..._ ’   
Pausing to roll a boulder down towards a distant hole, barely visible through the blizzard, she was reward with a Korok seed. “ **I’ll have to pay** **Hestu** **another visit soon...** ” she mused, continuing on. 

Standing on the summit, she paused. “ **Ah! There’s a shrine out there.** ” she set a beacon and glanced at the weather forecast. “ **This snow might clear up in a few hours... And I need to recharge both** **Daruk’s** **Protection and** **Revali’s** **Gale, just in case...** ” she sighed. “ **Okay, I hang out here until then.** ” 

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As the blizzard slowed and faded, she stood. “ **Right, medallions recharged, Master Sword good to go... and weather cleared.** ” she nodded. “ **The only problem is, I can’t see monsters at this distance. This part of the snowfield could be full of Guardian Stalkers and** **Lynels** **for all I know... Um... Okay, if I glide down to there, I can stop and check for any monsters that might be a problem.** ” she took out the glider and soared down to the snow-covered outcrop below. 

Landing, she quickly reposition a rock for another Korok seed then climb to the highest part of the outcrop.   
Looking out towards the shrine, she shook her head. “ **I still don’t see anything, except that** **Lizalfos** **and wolf down there... But I don’t like the isolation. Maybe I can use** **Revali’s** **Gale to get some height and glide to it?** ” she turned around. “ **That’d be that maze the old man at the stable told me about. That can wait, like the desert one. And the one in** **Akkala** **, I guess.** ” she shrugged, looking back at the shrine. 

Soaring straight up into the air, she leaned forwards towards the shrine.   
Below, animals came into view, and she veered slightly to avoid the gaze of an Ice Keese. Nearing the shrine, she looked behind it and spotted a Lynel, thankfully with its back to her.   
Landing silently, she quickly opened the door to the shrine and darted into the lift. “ **Damn... After this, I’m heading back...** ” she muttered. “ **I’m exhausted anyway...** ” 

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" **What took you so long?!** ” Amethyst growled. “ **We were getting worried!** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Standing on top of a mountain waiting for a blizzard to stop, as well as the medallions to recharge, so I could reach a shrine that turned out to be near a** **Lynel** **...** ” she shrugged. “ **On the plus side, I did another thirteen shrines since lunch.** ” 

Pearl sighed happily as she stuffed another mouthful of flaky fish into her mouth. “ **Soo good...** ” she murmured.   
Connie glanced up briefly before returning her gaze to the slate. “ **So, where’d you go?** ”   
Pearl swallowed and shrugged. “ **All over, actually. First, I went to the area near the castle, to activate the tower there. Now the only one left is near the Zora’s Domain. Then, I went back to the** **Gorons** **, and found a couple more shrines. Then, I popped back here. Connie, that tip of yours worked out. There was shrine up there, so I got that done.** ”   
Connie grinned. “ **Awesome. Glad I could help.** ” 

“ **Let’s see... After that, I climbed the mountain. I found another dragon, called** **Naydra** **, but it was sick.** ”   
Steven gasped. “ **Oh no! Poor dragon!** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Don’t worry, I helped it.** **Naydra’s** **feeling much better now. And I got access to another shrine for my troubles, so that’s good. After that, I went back towards the** **Gerudo** **desert and climbed a mountain. There was another shrine up there, but I wasn’t equipped to reach it before. Then I went back to** **Hebra** **, found three more shrines, including one that the slate’s sensor picked up before, but I couldn’t locate.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **I also found this guy who ran this game where you can throw giant snowballs down a hill to knock over pins. He called it Snowball Bowling, or Snowbowling. He must have been some** **weird rich eccentric guy who apparently decided to live in a cabin in the mountains and play with his snowballs all day.** ” 

The group burst out laughing and Steven blushed.   
Pearl grinned. “ **I’ve been holding onto that joke for a while, so you’d better laugh!** ” she chuckled. “ **Anyway, I figured he was rich, cause for every strike I got, he gave me a gold rupee.** ” she paused and took out her rupee pouch, emptying it out onto the back of a shield.   
The group stared at the sizable pile of gems, many of them gleaming and golden. “ **I left here with only a couple of thousand... That’s now fifty Grand.** ” she blushed. “ **I... may have spent more time there than I had planned...** ” she sighed as she started to put the money away. “ **It was almost worth all the snow puns...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next year!


	48. Day 7 - Home Sweet Sandy Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all. Hope you had a good holiday!
> 
> And here's to a much better year than that horror show we barely survived...

_Day 7 Earth time..._

**Days in Hyrule... 145... 146...**

“ **Okay...** ” Pearl sighed, standing up. “ **I should start getting ready.** ”   
Connie looked up. “ **Where are you planning on going today?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Actually, I figure that it’s about** **time** **that I went home, and helped my people.** ” she smiled faintly. “ **I’m going to** **Gerudo** **Town.** ” 

“ **Oh, oh!** ” Steven waved a hand excitedly. “ **Can we come this time?! I** **wanna** **see where you grew up!** ”   
Pearl laughed. “ **Well, Hyrule has changed so much. The town isn’t even in the same location from when I was a kid. And the desert isn’t really much to look at, you know.** ” she shrugged. “ **But yeah. I was planning on bringing you along this time. Except...** ” she looked at Steven. “ **We’re** **gonna** **have to find a way to get you into** **Gerudo** **Town. Traditionally, we don’t allow males into town, unless they’re the King.** **So** **I'll bring you as far as possible. But if I can’t get you in... I’ll have to bring you back here, okay Steven?** ”   
He nodded. “ **Yeah, okay...** ” 

“ **So,** **ya** **gon** **n** **a** **w** **arp us to the town?** ” Amethyst asked as the kids grabbed their backpacks.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No, I haven’t gotten close enough yet. I was too nervous...** ” she sighed. “ **But there’s a stable just at the end of a canyon we can warp to, and then make our way across. Don't worry, there seems to be a small oasis type settlement along the way where we can rest.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **You’re the expert on Hyrule, so lead the way.** ” 

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Pearl led the way down to the stable, pausing only to fire an arrow at a coyote to scare it away.   
“ **Okay guys, the desert can get incredibly hot during the day, but unbelievably cold at night. My people used circlets with... well...** ” she glanced at Garnet. “ **Rubies and sapphires embedded in them. Rubies at night to protect from the insane cold, sapphires during the day for the heat.** ” she shrugged. “ **I’ll stop at the cooking pot at the stable to mix up some elixirs. They give us at least a small amount of protection for a while. And if all else fails, I can hand you each a piece of** **armor** **to go with the elixir.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Okay. My mother also had me pack a huge bottle of sunscreen, so that can be passed around too.** ”   
Pearl grinned. “ **Perfect. You’ll all need it. My** **Gerudo** **blood actually prevents major sunburns. I’ve only ever gotten a little red, even after years out here. In Hyrule, red hair means you’re probably more heat-resistant than regular** **Hylians** **and** **Sheikahs** **.** ” 

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As they each took a small bottle, Pearl nodded. “ **Right, keep that in your pocket. Try not to drink it unless I tell you, because once it wears off, that’s it. There won’t be any more until I can reach another cooking pot.** ” she looked around at each of them. “ **But if you feel like you’re about to pass out from the heat, don’t wait. Drink it immediately.** ”   
“ **Okay, Pearl.** ” Steven said, placing it into his backpack.   
Connie looked at the bottle. “ **Pearl, there’s monster horns and bugs in here... I’d rather pass out and get carried across the desert.** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Truth be told, so would I.** ” she looked towards the end of the canyon. “ **Okay... Let’s get moving. Let me handle any monsters that jump out though. The desert has always been full of** **Lizalfos** **...** ” 

As they reached the end of the canyon, they looked out across the vast desert. Ahead, they could see stone pillars, two settlements, one with an orange shrine, the other with the faintest gleam of sunlight reflecting off water. Vast sweeping sandstorms raged in immense clouds to the left and right. To the left of the faint path across the sand, a small pit seemed to lay, with a yellow blob occasionally jumping up and down within it.   
“ **Home sweet sandy home...** ” Pearl sighed, before shrugging and moving towards the remnants of a broken set of stone stairs. “ **This way.** ” 

“ **...and ‘** ** _Sarqso_** **’ means ‘Thank you’.** ” Pearl said.   
“ **Sarqso** **...** **sarqso** **...** **sarqso** **...** ” Connie repeated. “ **Okay, I think I got it. Anything else?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, yeah. But I don’t expect you to learn the entirety of the** **Gerudo** **language on this short walk. And we don’t usually expect non-** **Gerudo's** **to even attempt our language anyway. Those few phrases should be enough.** ”   
Garnet looked over. “ **We’re nearly at the oasis.** ”   
Pearl nodded and tapped the Moonlight Scimitar on her hip. “ **I’m glad I found these a while back. A little touch of home...** ” she poked a thumb at the elaborate golden shield on her back.   
“ **Are all** **Gerudo** **weapons this shiny?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **We like shiny things. We especially like making other peoples’ shiny things into** ** _our_** **shiny things.** ” she added with a grin. 

As they neared the oasis, they heard a loud roar, and the ground shook.   
Pearl waved a hand, and part of the sandstorm shifted, revealing a giant mechanical camel that slowly stomped past. It turned and retreated into the sandstorm with a roar.   
“ **Whoa...** ” Amethyst breathed. “ **Pearl, I think these goddesses are trying to kill you...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Probably. Anyway, let’s get moving.** ” 

In front of the oasis they saw a tall woman with a golden trident, dark red hair, and a large nose. Her golden jewellery stood out against her dark skin, and as they watched, another red-haired woman with lighter skin walked past, nodding at the first as she started along the path.   
“ **Pearl, are they...** ” Connie started.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Gerudo** **.** ” she whispered, a faint smile crossing her face. “ **My people.** ”   
“ **You don’t look much like them...** ” Amethyst said. “ **No offense, I mean...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I take after my** **Hylian** **mother. I only got the hair, nose, burn resistance and penchant for thievery from my father.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Come on, I** **wanna** **talk to her.** ” 

“ **Sav’aaq** **.** ” Pearl nodded. < ** _What is this place?_** >   
< ** _This is Kara Kara Bazaar, young Gerudo._** > she glanced at the others. < ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town is still a fair distance southwest of here. If you’re headed there, you should consider resting a bit._** >   
< ** _Thank you._** > Pearl nodded.   
The woman glanced at Steven. < ** _Though, he IS a_** ** _voe_** ** _... Even if you make it to town, he won’t be allowed to get in..._** >   
Pearl shrugged as Steven looked nervous. < ** _I know._** >   
< ** _All the same, the Divine Beast is kicking up a storm right now, so I don’t recommend going to_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town._** >

Pearl glanced back at the sandstorm. < ** _Can you tell me about the Divine Beast?_** >   
< ** _You don’t know about Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Naboris_** ** _? Supposedly, it is the guardian deity for the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _people, but it suddenly started acting up a while back. There's nothing we can do to stop it, either... It’s protected by a fierce sandstorm and intense lightning. Though it hasn’t yet, it could easily head towards_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town or this oasis. I do my best to keep an eye on it from here._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, we understand. I should get the kids to the water now..._** >

As everyone splashed their faces with the cool water and drank deeply, they sighed happily.   
“ **Ugh, you weren’t kidding about the heat...** ” Amethyst huffed, cupping a handful and rubbing it across the back of her neck, her hair now tied up behind her.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Amethyst, it’s a desert. Wait until tonight. You'll freeze** **ya** **tits off. Which would be a shame; they are quite marvellous.** ” she added with a smirk.   
“ **Pearl!** ” Amethyst blushed, giving her a gentle shove as Pearl laughed.   
Garnet chuckled as the kids blushed and glanced at each other. “ **Still a** **Pearlvert** **...** ”   
Pearl blushed deeply. “ **Hey, give me a break, okay? I can’t exactly help it right now... I'm stuck in a sixteen-year-old body, with the mind and hormones to match.** ” she added under her breath. 

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When she returned from taking to Beedle, Pearl glanced around the bazaar. “ **We’ve got a fair mix of** **Hyruleans** **here. There’s a Rito, a** **Goron** **, several** **Hylians** **and** **Gerudos** **... We’re just missing a Sheikah. But they are basically ninjas, so there could be one here, and we’d never know...** ”   
“ **So, what’s the plan?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl looked out towards the distant town. “ **It’s too hot to travel during the day, so I'll wait until tonight, and head off by myself. I have the** **Snowquill** **set from the** **Ritos** **’, so the cold won’t bother me. I'll activate the shrine in front of the town, and run back here to get you. That way, you can avoid the worse of the desert heat, and won’t have to deal with the extreme cold at night, or constant Stal attacks.** ”   
“ **We’ll hang out near the fire then.** ” Garnet nodded. 

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With the stars slowly appearing above, Pearl changed clothes again and set out to the southwest.   
Pausing, she cut down a tall cactus, retrieving the two Voltfruit from its top. “ **Awesome...** **Cotera** **needs fifteen of these to upgrade my rubber** **armor** **... for some reason...** ” she shrugged. “ **I’m not** **gonna** **question a Great Fairy about her cravings...** ” 

Veering off the path after taking out some Stalzalfos, she grabbed two more Voltfruit, returning to the path marked on the map as quickly as possible.   
Nearing the walls of the town, she spotted a man near the shrine, one hand over his eyes as he stared at the two Gerudos standing guard at the entrance.   
< ** _Are you spying?_** > she asked, glaring.   
He turned. < ** _What?! N-no! I’m not a spy! I'm a merchant! I may not look like it, but I'm actually the leader of a caravan! I've travelled all the way here, but this town doesn’t allow men to go in. So... that’s why I... had to... um..._** > he trailed off nervously.   
< ** _Spy?_** > she said with a smirk.   
< ** _It’s research! RESEARCH!_** > he shouted, his face red. < ** _And think what you want, but I've finally found some key info on how to sneak into_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town!_** >

Thinking of Steven, Pearl crossed her arms. < ** _What info?_** >   
He laughed. < ** _Heheheh... Well, allow me to share with you... my heroic tale! It’s been close to a week now... The guards have kicked me out more times than I can count... I almost gave up hope... HOWEVER!!_** > he suddenly exclaimed, startling her. < ** _I have learned only recently of a man that slipped into this well-guarded town! I heard that man is a frequently travelling between Kara_** ** _Kara_** ** _Bazaar and_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town. I've been waiting here, trying to spot him as he travels!_** >   
Pearl looked towards the entrance. “ **Huh, interesting.** ” < ** _Okay, great._** >   
Walking towards the shrine, she glanced back at the man. “ **If I can find that guy, maybe I can convince him to help me sneak Steven into town...** ” 


	49. Dude Looks Like a Lady

With the first rays of morning lighting up the desert, Pearl returned to the Bazaar.   
“ **How’d it** **go** **?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Shrine’s cleared. And I found someone who gave me a tip. Apparently, there’s a guy who’s been getting into town somehow. He was waiting there trying to spot him and figure out how he does it, but the guy also comes here, so...** ”   
“ **We can help you look for him.** ” Steven grinned.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Yep. If I can convince him to tell us how he does it, we can get you into** **Gerudo** **Town. Although...** ” she sighed. “ **On the way back, I had a thought. Men aren’t allowed into** **Gerudo** **Town, only women. So, for him to somehow get in without being caught...** ”   
“ **Dude looks like a lady.** ” Amethyst smirked. 

Pearl laughed. “ **Possibly. Or, he’s dressed as a woman. Steven, you don’t mind that, right?** ”   
Steven shrugged. “ **Meh, it won’t be the first time.** ”   
“ **So, we’re likely looking for someone who’s dressed like a woman.** ” Pearl looked around the area. “ **We can count out the Gerudos, we have no reason to sneak into our own town. We can also probably count out the Rito and the Goron. I've... never seen a female Goron.** ” she paused. “ **I’ve seen Goron kids, yeah, but...** ” she shook her head. “ **No idea how that even works, and I don’t want to know.** ” she sighed heavily.   
Looking around, she paused at the sight of a Gerudo sitting under a canopy, fabric in her hands as she swiftly sewed them together. “ **Oh... Hang on. I was asked to look out for a tailor, give me a second...** ” 

< ** _Hello. That is some beautiful fabric._** >   
The Gerudo looked up, her fingers never stilling. < ** _Thank you._** >   
< ** _You seem very skilled. Are you a tailor?_** > Pearl cut straight to the chase.   
The Gerudo nodded. < ** _Yes. I have mastered the skill._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _May I ask, what is your name?_** >   
< ** _Rhondson_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, perfect. There's a new town starting up over in_** ** _Akkala_** ** _, called Tarrey Town. I was asked to find a few people with certain skills to live there, preferably with a name that end’s in ‘son’. They want a tailor, and your name works. Would you be interested in going and having a look around?_** >   
Rhondson looked curiously as Pearl showed her the location on the map. < ** _Hmm... I suppose. I haven’t found a husband nor another purpose for my skills... Perhaps this is a sign that it is time for me to move on from this place._** > Rhondson stood. < ** _Thank you, young_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Travel well._** >

She returned as they watched the Gerudo woman pack up her few belongings and head out along the trail.   
“ **What was that about?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Remember Hudson? I brought the house from him? Well, he sent one of his guys up to Akkala, and he’s decided to build an entirely new town from the ground up. I found where he’s started working, and he asked me to find a few people to live there. He wanted a Goron for moving the large boulders in the area, someone to run the general store and a tailor. I’ve already found a Rito who wanted to run his own store, and two** **Goron** **brothers who wanted to do something more than mining. I saw her sewing, so I figured I'd asked. She’s heading off there now.** ” she looked around the area. “ **Now, who here looks suspicious?** ”   
Looking up at the tall rock spire, Pearl nodded. “ **I’m** **gonna** **climb up there, get a better view of the area.** ”   
“ **Okay.** ” Garnet nodded. 

On top of the rock spire, Pearl found a woman dressed in a pinkish purple veil and matching pants. As the wind blew, her veil shifted, and Pearl caught a hint of white. ‘ _Suspicious..._ ’ < ** _Hello?_** >   
< ** _Oh, my. What a lovely young lady you are. Do you need something from_** ** _Vilia_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl looked out towards Gerudo Town. < ** _I was told that there’s a guy_** ** _around here_** ** _who managed to sneak into_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town._** >   
Vilia looked surprised. < ** _What’s that? You’ve heard about a man who snuck into_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town? Oh, I don’t know anything about him... Sorry I couldn’t be more help._** >   
Pearl squinted at her suspiciously.   
< ** _Heehee_** ** _..._** > came the gruff giggle. < ** _You’re making my cheeks warm looking at me like that._** >   
Pearl sighed. ‘ _I may as well play along._ ’ < ** _Well, you’re quite pretty. Those colours suit you very well._** >   
< ** _Oh, such a nice thing to say! And I'm sure you’d agree that these clothes only help my looks, right?_** >   
Pearl gave a nod.   
Vilia looked her over. < ** _Now that I think about it, this style would look quite fetching on you... But I suppose it is because you’re a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** >

Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah. However, I lost my clothes. In a river. In_** ** _Hateno_** ** _._** > she shrugged. < ** _I’ve always been thin, and easily able to pass for a man, so wearing the right clothes is vital for me to be able to return to_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town. I was hoping someone could help me locate another set, and maybe something so St-... my son, could visit my home with me._** >   
Vilia nodded. < ** _Oh, that is a shame!_** > she paused, looking thoughtful. < ** _Well, I suppose I could help you out... I’d have to charge you for both outfits, of course, but..._** >   
< ** _Well, of course. Nothing’s free in this world._** > Pearl nodded. < ** _Should I get him, so we know that they fit?_** >   
Vilia nodded. < ** _Oh, yes. But let’s keep this quiet, shall we?_** >

Pearl glided back down, landing near the others. Glancing around, she led them around the back of the stone building.   
“ **Right...** ” she whispered. “ **I found him. The guy who’s been getting into** **Gerudo** **Town. Calls himself** **Vilia** **, so let’s just go with that. I told her that I lost my** **Gerudo** **clothes in a river in** **Hateno** **, and that you’re my son, who wants to see my hometown. Just go along with it for now. She's willing to sell us a couple of outfits. We need to get back up there before she changes her mind, or decides to up the price...** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Okay.** ” 

Back on top of the spire, Vilia looked Steven over. < ** _My, what a handsome young man! A little scruffy around the cheeks, but still... Let’s see now..._** >   
They waited as she rummaged through a bag nearby. “ **You do need a shave though.** ” Pearl whispered.   
Steven nodded. “ **Yeah.** **But,** **I forgot to bring my shaving kit...** ”   
“ **I’ll figure something out.** ”   
< ** _Hmm... Ah-ha! This might fit you!_** > Vilia straightened up, pulling out a pale pink set of clothing.   
Steven took the clothing. < ** _Thank you._** > he said.   
< ** _Now, about you, sweetie._** > Vilia rummaged around again, finally pulling out a blue set. < ** _This is about all I have, I'm afraid... I’d have to order more fabric._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _That’s fine. How much do I owe you?_** >   
Vilia thought. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... six hundred each, so twelve hundred rupees._** >

Reaching into her bag Pearl retrieved her rupee pouch, counting out four gold rupees. < ** _Thank you. We can get changed somewhere more... private._** >   
Just then, the wind picked up, and a gust blow Vilia’s veil up, revealing a full white beard.   
Pearl and Steven glanced at each other as Vilia quickly readjusted it. < ** _… Heh... Make sure you watch out for the wind._** > she said, looking at Steven. 

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Using the glider to descend safely, Pearl carried Steven down behind the rock building. “ **Okay guys, we’ve got the clothes.** ” she said, folding the glider away. “ **Let’s go behind those dunes. Then, I can use my powers to block** **everyone’s** **view so we can get changed.** ” 

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“ **Okay, I’m done!** ” Steven called.   
Pearl dropped the walls of sand surrounding him.   
“ **Dawww** **! You’re so pretty!** ” Amethyst grinned.   
Steven blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “ **Amethyst...** ”   
“ **Steven, the veil...** ” Pearl sighed.   
He held out his hand, the fabric draped across it. “ **I couldn’t figure out how to put it on...** ” he admitted. 

Pearl looked at him. “ **Well, that’s okay. We should probably do something about your scruff first. At least that way, if the wind picks up, it won’t be so obvious that you’re a** **voe** **.** ” she shrugged. “ **Gerudos** **traditionally consider you a man once you start getting scruffy, so any special considerations for young boys won’t apply to you. And that’s assuming the special considerations still apply... If not, then we won’t be able to argue that you’re still a little boy, you’ll still get kicked out.** ” she rummaged through her bag. “ **Hmm... If I mash this up, it’d make a good shaving cream... and... this blade should be sharp enough.** ” she pulled out a small dagger and ran her finger lightly over the edge.   
Steven gulped loudly. “ **I’m not putting that near my throat, Pearl.** ” 

Pearl smiled. “ **Don’t worry. I have a very steady hand. You know that I'm good with blades, and would never hurt you. And we’re taught how to help a man shave, not that I cared. But I still remember my lessons. As long as you hold very still, I won’t even nick you.** ”   
Steven looked nervous. “ **Umm... Okay... I guess...** ” 

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Pearl stood with the bowl of grainy pulp. “ **Okay Steven. Smear this across your face like it’s shaving cream, then take a seat in Garnet’s lap and hold very, very still.** ” As Steven took a handful and stared to smear it, Pearl glanced at Garnet. “ **You’ll need to hold him steady.** ”   
Garnet nodded. “ **I will.** ” she said, sitting down.   
“ **This is making my face feel weird...** ” Steven muttered.   
Pearl nodded. “ **That means it’s working. It's basically making the hairs stand up above the skin, so I can slice them more easily.** ”   
Steven took a deep breath and sat down, allowing Garnet to wrap her arms securely around him.   
“ **Ready?** ” Pearl asked.   
He looked at the dagger wide-eyed. “ **Uhh** **... yes?** ” he squeaked.   
Pearl smiled gently. “ **Just close your eyes, and it’ll be over before you know it.** ” 

Steven closed his eyes squeezing them tightly shut. He felt soft fingers gently grip his chin and turn his head to the right.   
“ **Amethyst, can you gently pull the skin back here please? Just to smooth this area out?** ”   
He felt another set of fingers pulling back near his jawline, and the feeling of something being dragged slowly down his cheek. There was a pause, and he felt it again in a slightly different area. This then repeated on the other side, the slim fingers on his chin gently shifting his face as Pearl gave instructions to Amethyst or Garnet.   
“ **Okay Steven. I’m starting on your jaw and neck now, so be still, okay?** ”   
He gave a thumbs up, not daring to speak. 

Once again, he felt familiar fingers gently poking and shifting his head, lifting his chin up, and the sensation of motion against his skin.   
After a few minutes, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, Connie, can you go fill this bowl with water? He'll need it to rinse off.** ”   
He felt her rubbing more of the hand-made cream into his face, and opened one eye. “ **I’m not quite done yet, Steven.** ” she said. “ **I still need to do another pass across the grain, and then again against it. That way, you’ll be as smooth as a baby’s backside.** ”   
He quickly glanced at the dagger lying across her lap and gave a quick nod, closing his eyes again, just catching a glimpse of Connie returning with the bowl of water. 

After completing two more passes, Pearl nodded, gently turning his head in various directions and running her thumb over his skin. “ **There, all done.** ” she smiled. “ **Now, you need to rinse off.** ”   
Steven opened his eyes and reached out, taking the offer bowl of water. Taking a breath, he dunked his face into it for a few seconds.   
“ **I didn’t mean like that...** ” Pearl sighed and chuckled.   
Steven reached up and ran his fingers over his face. “ **Whoa... This is the smoothest I’m been since... since before I could grow hair...** ” he whispered.   
Pearl grinned. “ **See? I told you. Smooth as a baby boy’s butt.** ” she gave his left cheek a quick pinch. “ **Little boy baby boy...** ”   
“ **Oww** **...** ” he rubbed the area. “ **Pearl!** ” 

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“ **There, that’s better.** ” Pearl looked at the newly stropped blade and nodded. “ **Took a bit of work, but it’s razor-sharp again.** ” she glanced at Steven. “ **I’ll keep this aside, in case we’re here long enough that you need another shave.** ” Putting the dagger in her bag, she looked around. “ **Right, my turn to get changed. Then I'll show you how to put on the veil.** ” 

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As the walls of sand dropped, Amethyst gasped. “ **Whoa, Pearl...** ”   
“ **Pearl has an** **innie** **...** ” Steven gasped. “ **So cute!** ” he reached out and tapped it. “ **Boop.** ”   
Pearl slapped his hand away. “ **Steven! Of course, I have one. I just... always kept it covered, so other Gems wouldn’t ask any awkward questions that I couldn’t really answer.** ” she shrugged. “ **Now, we need to get that veil onto you, here...** ” she grabbed it and placed it over his head, pulling the metal circlet across his forehead and attaching the veil to either side. “ **There.** ”   
“ **Thanks Pearl.** ” Steven sighed.   
Pearl smiled. “ **You’ll have to do better than that, kiddo. Higher, more girlishly. And you need to remember to keep it up the entire time. One deep word, and you’ll have some explaining to do.** ”   
“ **Okay...** ” he said, his voice pitched up. 

“ **Pearl, are these like the clothes you used to wear?** ” Connie asked, reaching out and feeling the fabric of Steven's veil.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Mnnn** **... Not quite. The styles have changed since my time, which was to be expected... But yeah, it’s pretty similar.** ” she shrugged. “ **I still have my old clothes, they’re just...** ” she tapped her gem. “ **Stored. When we get back to your realm, maybe I'll take them out and show you.** ” she collected Steven’s clothes, placing them into her bag. “ **These can go in here for now. It's not like there isn’t enough room.** ” she scoffed, patting the magically enhanced bag fondly.   
“ **So, when are we going?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl looked up at the night sky. “ **At first light. That way, we’ll have the entire day to look around the town before I attempt to find out how to reach the Divine Beast...** ” she sighed. “ **Ya** **know... I knew the** **Gerudo** **it’s named after.** **Nabooru** **.** ” 

“ **Yeah? What was she like?** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl frowned. “ **Kind of a bitch, to be honest.** ” she shrugged. “ **Nabooru** **was** **quite** **a few years older than me. She didn’t think my father should be King, and tried to start a bit of a rebellion against him. Of course, Gerudo are very loyal, so everyone just ignored her. She turned out to be one of the Sages, so she had a hand in my father’s defeat... Anyway, because he was my father, she decided that I was just as bad as him. When I got captured, she was the first to suggest putting me on trial for my crimes. Probably the first to suggest death...** ” she huffed. “ **Yeah, we didn’t like each other much.** ” she shrugged. “ **Anyway, she’s long-dead now, and she got a damned ugly-ass camel named after her, so I got the last laugh in the end, ha!** ” she grinned. 

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In the early morning light, they appeared at the shrine.   
“ **Right. Remember Steven; sound girly. We can claim you’re shy, so you have a reason not to speak. Umm... As long as we’re here, you’ll have to answer to the name...** ”   
“ **Nora.** ” he said quickly. “ **It’s what they would have called me if I was a girl, so...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **I remember them talking about that. Okay, Nora.** ” she looked at the entrance to the town. “ **Let’s go, ladies.** ” 

Pearl gave the two guards at the gate a quick nod as she strode past confidently, the others following in her wake.   
As they stood just inside the town, they stared in amazement at the colourful bazaar inside the walls, and the various tall women wandering around. Cool water flowed down from a tall rock pillar, flowing through channels and into basins dotted around the town.   
Pearl sighed happily; her eyes slightly moist. “ **Welcome to** **Gerudo** **Town.** ” she whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	50. Familiar

As they wandered around the bazaar, Pearl spotted the nearby fruit. “ **Oh, I need to grab those.** **Cotera** **can upgrade my Rubber** **armor** **with some of these...** ”   
They waited as she brought the three spiky red fruit and paused, picking out the three durians as well.   
“ **These are great for health. I just dice one up, simmer it in a pot, and it completely restores me.** ” Pearl explained as she bagged them. 

Next door was a shop with a small diamond on the fabric awning. Pearl sighed. “ **Jewellery shop. Magical stuff, like I explained before.** ”   
“ **Can we have a quick look?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Okay, but it’s** **gonna** **be a bit creepy...** ”   
Inside, they saw circlets and earrings set on top of pillows resting on slim daises.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Let’s see... Diamonds give Guardian resistance, nice... Ruby for cold, sapphire for heat, topaz for electricity, like I said... Hmm... Opal increases swimming speed, that’s new.** ” she glanced at the group. “ **We didn’t have any uses for opals in my day. To be fair,** **Gerudo’s** **didn’t really have a need to learn how to swim...** ” she shrugged. “ **And amber... apparently is just to look nice. Huh.** ”   
“ **They don’t do anything?** ” Amethyst asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **I guess not. It doesn’t say.** ”   
Garnet glanced back at the circlets. “ **You were right.** **This is creepy. I’m out.** ” she turned and walked outside the small shop. 

Outside, they joined her.   
“ **Sorry Garnet.** ” Connie whispered.   
The taller woman shrugged. “ **It’s alright.** ”   
Continuing on, they passed a hotel, a small store with cooked meat on display and pausing in front of a selection of arrows.   
“ **Pearl’s happy.** ” Steven whispered to Amethyst as Pearl quickly started making her selections.   
Amethyst laughed. “ **Yeah.** ” 

Looking up at the large stone building, Pearl nodded. “ **Probably where the chief lives. We'll have to go in there at some point, but let’s look around some more for now.** ”   
Nearby, they spotted a Goron, their yellow hair tied back neatly.   
“ **Sa-** **botta** **?** ” The Goron muttered. < ** _It sounds right to me..._** >   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Hello._** >   
The Goron looked down at her. < ** _H-hey._** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town really is full of woman, isn’t it? It smells_** ** _really_** ** _nice here... Hang on..._** > they paused. < ** _I thought men weren’t allowed in this town... Why did they let me in?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I don’t know. But you probably shouldn’t let anyone know there was a mistake. You’ll be thrown out._** >   
< ** _Thanks._** >

As they passed onto the other side of the town, they spotted a small girl running around.   
< ** _Pearle!_** > a Gerudo woman suddenly called out.   
The little girl turned, a frown on her face. < ** _Mama! I’m on pa-troll!_** > she called back, stamping a foot before running off with a huff.   
Glancing at each other, they looked at Pearl as a grin slowly spread across her face. “ **Well... It’s good to see that they didn’t ban the name...** ” she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. 

Turning down an alleyway, they waited as Pearl pulled a chest from a pile of rubble, taking out a gleaming golden bow. Nearby, they spotted the goddess statue, an older Gerudo sitting nearby.   
“ **Hmm... I have enough to trade, probably for more health. If I can find one more shrine, I can come back for another one.** ” Pearl sighed, stepping forwards to pray to the small statue.   
The old Gerudo nearby glanced over as the large red container appeared. 

Returning to the alleyway, they paused at the door.   
< ** _Hello?_** > Pearl called out, tapping on the door.   
After a moment, a voice called back. < ** _What’s the password?_** >   
Pearl glanced around and shrugged. < ** _No idea, sorry._** > she sighed, stepping away from the door. “ **Must be around here somewhere.** ” 

With night falling, they returned to the entrance of the town.   
“ **Well, it’s new, but oh so familiar.** ” Pearl sighed. “ **So.** **.. what did you think of** **Gerudo** **Town?** ”   
Steven grinned. “ **It’s amazing!** ” he whispered. “ **So many giant women!** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah, it’s beautiful, and such amazing colours everywhere.** ”   
“ **It’s weird not being the tallest though.** ” Garnet added.   
Amethyst smirked. “ **Welcome to my world.** ”   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Well,** **first** **thing in the morning, we should head up to the chief. Find out what I got to do to get into that.** ” she nodded towards the distant sandstorm where the Divine Beast slowly trudged. 

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As they ascended the stairs, Amethyst nudged Pearl. “ **Hey, what with that symbol?** ”   
Pearl looked up at the banners and the symbol carved into the stone above the doorway. “ **That’s the mark of the** **Gerudo** **. We usually put it on everything. Even if sometimes those things don’t actually belong to us.** ” she added with a smirk. “ **It’s a very ancient mark. No-one knew where it came from, even in my day.** ” 

Entering the building, they saw a young girl sitting on a small throne ahead, her chin resting on her hand, as a tall Gerudo stood guard nearby.   
“ **That’d be the chief then.** ” Pearl whispered, stepping forwards.   
The girl sighed. < ** _Yet another_** ** _traveler_** ** _... How did you get in here?_** > her eyes flickered to the slate on Pearl’s hip. < ** _It seems you have something rather interesting there..._** >   
Pearl lightly touched the slate. < ** _Yeah, you could say that..._** >

As the group moved forwards, the guard glared at them. < ** _You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _! Declare your business, but come no closer!_** >   
Riju glanced at Pearl. < ** _Hold on,_** ** _Buliara_** ** _... This one appears to be more than a common_** ** _traveler_** ** _._** > she looked at Pearl curiously. < ** _She seems to be a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, and yet, I'm unfamiliar with her. You, what is your name?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _It’s... Pearl._** >   
< ** _Pearl..._** > Riju looked thoughtful. < ** _And what is it you’ve come all the way here to tell me, Pearl?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I can help you calm_** ** _Naboris_** ** _._** >

Buliara scoffed. < ** _You think you have what it takes to subdue something so powerful as a Divine Beast? The only ones who could ever control them were Champions like Lady_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _. And all of the Champions died in the Calamity one hundred years ago._** >   
Riju glance at her guard. < ** _Hmm... What of the device on this one’s hip? It appears to be a priceless relic of the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _. I can’t imagine they would give something so valuable to a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _—can you?_** >   
Buliara glanced at Pearl and the slate before her eyes drifted to Riju. < ** _… The only_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _amongst the Champions was_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _..._** > she looked over at the group, pausing on Steven. Her eyes narrowed. < ** _Wait a minute... You’re a_** ** _voe_** ** _!_** >

Steven flinched as the group cautiously stepped in front of him. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... no I'm not!_** > he squeaked.   
Riju tilted her head curiously. < ** _A_** ** _voe_** ** _within our walls is a great crime. But a_** ** _voe_** ** _accompanying a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _..._** > she glanced at Pearl. < ** _… who may possibly be a Champion_** ** _… who may not be fully aware of the consequences... And if you’re here to help us with_** ** _Naboris_** ** _, then we are allies._** > Riju looked out towards the sandstorm. < ** _You saw it on your way to our town. Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Naboris_** ** _, cloaked in a massive sandstorm, hurling lightning at any who dare approach. We have to do something to stop it, but we have yet to find any way to appease the Divine Beast on our own._** ** _If you truly are a Champion, perhaps you will be able to enter_** ** _Naboris_** ** _and calm its anger._** >

Buliara frowned. < ** _Lady Riju! I don’t see how you can trust a complete stranger with something as important as this task. Perhaps if this person were first to prove her worth by recovering your stolen Thunder Helm..._** >   
Riju sighed. < ** _Ah yes... An interesting suggestion. You see, there is only one thing in all of Hyrule that can withstand the lightning from_** ** _Naboris_** ** _. The Thunder Helm, a family heirloom and relic of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. But as_** ** _Buliara_** ** _says, it was stolen from us._** >   
Buliara nodded. < ** _If you truly are a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, this should be an easy task for you. Our soldiers can tell you all you need to know about the thieves who stole Lady Riju’s heirloom._** > she pointed to her left. < ** _Head through this arch. It will lead you to the barracks. Then, seek out Captain_** ** _Teake_** ** _, and ask for a full report._** >   
Riju leaned forwards. < ** _Without my heirloom, you’ll never be able to approach_** ** _Naboris_** ** _._** > she laughed. < ** _You know... I take heart in having such a rare visitor as yourself. Lady_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _must be looking out for us._** >

Walking through the arch, they looked down on the group of Gerudo women below. Some were training with spears, whilst three were standing in the middle of the area, two being chewed out by the third. At the top of a set of stairs, another Gerudo stood watching over everything.   
“ **That’d be the captain then.** ” Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, I'm** **gonna** **go talk to her. You lot stay out of everyone’s way. Those spears can do a lot of damage, and we don’t always care if someone gets hurt.** ” she shrugged, descending the stairs. 

< ** _Sav’otta_** ** _._** > Pearl greeted. < ** _Captain_** ** _Teake_** ** _, I presume?_** >   
Teake glared down at her. < ** _What are you doing in here?! This is the barracks for the chief’s guards, not a place for tourists to gather._** > she glanced back up at the training guards. < ** _We’re on high alert after the recent theft, so you should clear out._** >   
< ** _Riju and_** ** _Buliara_** ** _sent me to talk to you about that._** > Pearl shrugged. < ** _She wanted you to give me a full report._** >   
Teake’s eyes widened. < ** _What?_** ** _Buliara_** ** _sent you? My apologies! I’m the officer in charge of the soldiers, Captain_** ** _Teake_** ** _. The chief’s heirloom was stolen by thieves belonging to the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _Clan the other day, so everyone is on edge... We’ve determined that the_** ** _Yiga’s_** ** _hideout is in_** ** _Karusa_** ** _Valley, but... The soldiers are all exhausted, so I was just thinking about requesting some extra help..._** > she looked out. < ** _HEY, EVERYONE LISTEN UP!_** > she called out, drawing the attention of everyone in the area as Pearl flinched from the noise. < ** _This young_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _has agreed to help us, so offer her any information you can!_** > she looked back down at Pearl. < ** _Consider yourself part of our unit! If you have any questions, my troops will be happy to help._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Thank you._** >

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As Pearl moved off towards the captain, the group went down to observe the guards training with their spears. Nearby, they spotted a young Gerudo talking quietly with the guard leading the others, who scoffed and turned away.   
< ** _Please..._** > she whispered.   
< ** _What's wrong?_** > Connie asked.   
< ** _Oh..._** ** _sav’otta_** ** _..._** > The woman sighed heavily. < ** _I... I finally found the_** ** _voe_** ** _of my dreams, and I just recently married him... I thought I had finally found happiness... But then... my husband fell ill with a rare disease... One difficult to cure._** >   
Steven gasped. < ** _That’s terrible!_** > he cried, his voice high-pitched.   
Connie nodded. < ** _Is there anything that can help him._** >   
The woman nodded sadly. < ** _The only thing that can save his life is the innards of a_** ** _Molduga_** ** _... But I would never be able to take down such a creature myself... I asked the soldiers for help, but..._** > she glanced back at the soldiers training nearby. < ** _They said they have serious issues to deal with! They said they had no time for my plight! They turned me away!_** > she sighed. < ** _But then, why wouldn’t they? The_** ** _Molduga_** ** _is a menacing beast... None who face one escape unscathed... So perhaps it’s foolish to expect anyone to stick their neck out for a stranger... I thought I’d finally gotten out of this town... Never thought I'd have to come crawling back..._** >   
< ** _What is a_** ** _Molduga_** ** _, exactly?_** > Connie asked.   
< ** _The_** ** _Molduga_** ** _is a monster... A terror so savage that even other monsters won’t approach it... It’s often been spotted west of here, in the_** ** _Toruma_** ** _Dunes, and in the south. It's very sensitive to vibration, and it tends to attack anything that draws near. You can’t approach it, or even move near it... And you can’t use someone as bait..._** ** _So_** ** _what am I to do..._** >

After the captain had given her order, the group glanced at each other and moved towards the stairs.   
“ **We’ve** **gotta** **tell Pearl...** ” Steven whispered, glancing at the young Gerudo as she slowly moved away.   
Amethyst glanced at him. “ **We could try your healing powers on the guy.** ”   
Garnet shook her head. “ **We’re supposed to lay low here. Plus, it’s possible the goddesses allowed Steven to keep his healing powers solely to help Pearl. Using them on someone else... might cause them to take them away.** ”   
“ **These goddesses are pretty jerky...** ” Connie sighed. “ **Garnet’s right. We should at least get Pearl’s opinion first. If she remembers these monsters and doesn’t want to fight one, we can try to find out if that lady will take us to her husband, and Steven can try to help him.** ” 

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The guard nodded. < ** _I am Liana. We’re continuing our investigation through the heat of the day and the cold of the night._** >   
< ** _What can you tell me about the thieves?_** > Pearl asked the guard.   
Liana nodded. < ** _So far, we know..._** ** _These thieves are highly skilled in both stealth and disguise. They refer to themselves as the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _. They slipped into town in the dark of the night, stole the chief’s heirloom, and vanished like smoke in the wind. We believe them to be descendant of the_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _tribe that splintered and turned to villainy. But why would they want to steal the Thunder Helm?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Who knows. What about their hideout? What can you tell me about that?_** >   
Liana sighed. < ** _We know that the thieves' hideout is in_** ** _Karusa_** ** _Valley. The path through the valley is very difficult... Despite repeated attempts to infiltrate the hideout, we haven’t yet managed to set foot inside. Painful though it is to admit, it seems possible that some other group of desert dwellers has bested us._** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Not on my watch, they won’t._** >

As she returned to the small group, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay guys, this is going to be bothersome...** ” she groaned. “ **The ones who stole the Thunder Helm are from the Yiga Clan. They're basically** **Sheikah** **that decided to split off from them, and from what I've heard before, they practically worship my father...** ” she sighed heavily. “ **Still, they’re basically human, so I’m not sure how I’m** **gonna** **fight them without killing anybody...** ”   
“ **Well, we may have something to help you stall until you figure it out.** ” Connie pointed at the young Gerudo was who slowly walking away. “ **She recently got married, but he’s really sick and will die without something from a monster called a** **Molduga** **.** ”   
Pearl shuddered. “ **Ugh, I always hated those things...** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **I’m willing to try to help heal him, but Garnet’s worried that the goddesses only let me keep my healing power to help you, and if I use it on someone else, they might take it away...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Sounds like something those bitches would do...** ” she sighed. “ **I guess I'm fighting a** **Molduga** **. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time...** ” 

“ **It won’t?** ” Amethyst asked, one eyebrow raised.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Once, when I was young, there was a problem with** **Lizalfos** **groups coming to close to the town. We had to keep fighting them off. It was right after I had assumed command of the Gerudo, after my father had died, so there were rumours that the goddesses were trying to send the message that I shouldn’t be the leader. After about a week, we found out why they were coming towards us. A Molduga was moving through the desert, and the** **Lizalfos** **were clearing out ahead of it. The town was in a canyon at the time, and we didn’t really have anywhere else to retreat to, apart from Hyrule field. I wasn’t going to let my people be thrown out of our homes by a damned over-grown sandworm, so...** ” she shrugged. “ **I went out and used my sand powers to kick it out from the sand and prevent it from burrowing away and escaping. Then it was a simple matter of having everyone capable of using a bow to fire arrows at it until it died. No-one argued about my right to rule after that.** ” she smirked. 

“ **So, you’re** **gonna** **help her?** ” Steven asked hopefully.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Sure. This time, it’ll probably be easier, seeing as I have unlimited bombs now.** ” she tapped the slate on her hip. “ **Molduga’s** **are weaker to those than they are to arrows. It's just that we only had arrows at the time. The** **Gorons** **had control of the bomb crop.** ”   
Amethyst looked into the nearby doorway. “ **Hey Pearl?** **What’s all this stuff?** ”   
Pearl moved over and looked in. “ **Oh... It’s the school. It's where young** **Gerudo** **learn everything we need to know to survive in Hyrule until we find a man.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Those lessons I told you about? Cooking, cleaning, flirting, medicines, self-defence, and child-care. They all happened in a room just like this one.** ” she entered and pointed at the sack dummies standing near the wall. “ **That’s the same kind of training dummy we had to practice on in flirting class. I broke so many of those.** ” she chuckled. “ **I kicked one across the room, breaking it. Another one, I ran through with a blade. Ah... good times...** ” she sighed.   
“ **Pearl... you’re scary.** ” Steven sighed with a smile.   
She grinned. “ **That’s fair. Anyway, I should head out. Did she say where I might be able to find a** **Molduga** **?** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **To the west of town, around some dunes, and also to the south.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay. I'll try to be quick.** ” 


	51. Guts and Creepers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. Thunderstorms made my internet connection a bit spotty for most of the week...
> 
> You get a double-update to make up for it.  
> Just head back a chapter to catch up.

As Pearl left the town, she glanced over at the statue, a sword in its uplifted arm pointing out into the desert. “ **Hmm... I’ll have to check that out later. It could be something important...** ”   
Walking out into the desert, she used her powers to harden the sand beneath her feet, giving herself better footing in the shifting sands. She picked up a few Hydromelons before veering off to collect more Voltfruit. 

Eventually, she reached two torches on the edge of the cliff and look out across the desert sands. Ahead, she saw the sand churning and shifting as a beast burrowed beneath. Suddenly, it lunged out, snapping at the air with massive jaws before falling and burrowing underground.   
“ **Ugh, still uglier than anything has any right to be...** ” she muttered. She paused to snap a quick picture when it surfaced again before using the scope to examine the area. “ **Hmm... Okay, I can see four torches that need to be lit, so there might be either a shrine or a treasure chest here. The only safe way would be to defeat the** **Molduga** **. Which I have to do anyway, to help that woman they spoke to...** ” she sighed, shielding her eyes for the setting sun ahead. “ **Right, I'll wait here for the night, glide over first thing. That'll give me the entire day to fight it and get back to town.** ” 

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With the sun rising behind her, she crouched and activated Revali’s Gale. Soaring up high, she aimed towards the tallest rock near the Molduga, landing safely on it with ease. Looking down, she nodded at the torch and examine the area. “ **Hmm... I can use fire arrows from here to get three torches, but to light that one, I’ll have to cross the sand.** ” she muttered. Looking down at the green medallion in her hand, she saw that it had gone dull and sighed. “ **And this needs to recharge, so soaring out of the question...** ” Shrugging, she bagged it and pulled out the slate. “ **Molduga** **fight it is.** ” 

Tossing a round bomb on to the sand, she watched as the Molduga veered off its path towards it. It leapt out of the sand, the bomb flying up from the force. As it closed its jaws around the bomb, Pearl set it off, thick smoke pouring from the beast’s mouth. It fell to the ground, stunned, and she quickly glided over and started wailing on it with Daruk’s Boulder Breaker.   
All too soon, it stirred and started to roll, and she quickly retreated back to the rock pillar, climbing back up and watching as it burrowed underneath the sand again. “ **Yeah, this shouldn't be too difficult.** ” she smirked, preparing another bomb. 

After two more rounds, the Molduga shrieked and fell limp, blackening as it went before bursting into thick black smoke soon after. Pearl sighed and bagged the oversized weapon before moving forwards to collect the scattered items. Holding her breath, she grabbed a cloth sack from her bag and threw it over the surprisingly small pile of green oozing organs, bagging it away before turning to the chests.   
Finally, she walked around the small rock platforms, lighting each torch.   
In the centre of the area, the shrine rose up, and Pearl sighed. “ **Right, I’ll clear this, then head back to town. The sooner I get rid of those guts, the better...** ” 

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Pearl reappeared at the shrine with a sigh. Stepping off the platform, she paused at the sound of huffing and panting, and watched as a man came jogging around the side of the shrine.   
His eyes flickered towards her and he suddenly stopped, wiping his forehead and walking over to her. < ** _Sa-sa-sa—_** ** _Sav'otta_** ** _!_** > he grinned at her. < ** _So yeah, hey, the name’s_** ** _Bozai_** ** _. I'm thirty-five, single, and I LOVE jogging. Especially on sand._** >   
Pearl squinted at him. ‘ _Is he trying to... oh, hell no..._ ’   
He smiled, looking around. < ** _Yeah, everyone says I'm as tenacious as a tick! And I think some of them meant it in a nice way, too! S-so... you out here on your own? Pretty rough and tumble place..._** ** _Wanna_** ** _hang out with me awhile?_** >   
Pearl glanced down at his feet, noticing that he wasn’t sinking into the sand. ‘ _Hmm..._ ’ < ** _How are you jogging on the sand?_** >   
Bozai smirked, showing of his boots. < ** _Ah... You’ve noticed these old things? Yeah, they’re my sand boots. They allow me to traverse the desert without being slowed down at all, so jogging is a breeze. If you’d like to check them out, we could grab a quiet corner and..._** >   
Pearl pointed at the boots. < ** _Where would I find boots like that?_** >

Bozai looked confused. < ** _Huh? Oh... Well... Here’s the thing. These sand boots are super rare, and I'd happily give them to you, but..._** > he trailed off, muttering to himself. <. ** _..wait. this is a golden chance to woo..._** >   
She stared at him. ‘ _Not bloody likely, fool._ ’   
< ** _I mean, sure! I'd LOVE to give them to you, you hungry little boot monster! But first, a_** ** _favor_** ** _. Ever heard the legend of the eighth heroine?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _No, can’t say that I have._** >   
He grinned. < ** _Everyone’s heard the legend in the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _region about the seven heroines, but... some tell of an eighth heroine... Wiped clean from history, and no-one knows why or how... A Phantom heroine known to all but seen by none... I’ve been taken with the legend since I was a child._** > he sighed. < ** _Find her! Show me the eighth heroine, and I'll give you these sand boots. What do you say?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _I’ll have a look around._** >   
< ** _YESSSSSS!_** > he squealed before looking embarrassed and clearing his throat. < ** _According to those who idolize the eighth heroine, she is enshrined somewhere in the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Highlands._** ** _Apparently_** ** _they even have a nickname for her: The Bronze Giant. Catchy. Beyond that, I don’t really know much... Who knows, there might even be someone in_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town who knows more about the legend of the seven heroines. Maybe that info would help. I don’t know. Anyway, draw a picture or something if you find her! And then show me! I'm pretty picky about pictures, too. If you get one, make sure at least the statue’s upper half is visible, okay?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Sure._** > ‘ _So, it’s a statue. Good. I don’t_ _wanna_ _give this guy a picture of any woman..._ ’ 

< ** _Oh, and here... If you like, you can use these. I'm sure they come in handy. Besides, you seem really into boots._** >   
He handed her a pair of boots with fur lining, and she examined them.   
< ** _The_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Highlands are covered in deep snow, so it’s hard to walk, right? Everyone knows that. But with these snow boots, you can walk through the snow like it was flat ground... No... You can walk even faster than that! No-one makes these anymore, so they extremely valuable. As such, you can’t keep them, okay?_** >   
‘ _He’ll never see these again..._ ’ Pearl smiled softly as she put them into her bag. < ** _Sure._** > Ignoring his quiet murmurings, she turned and walked into Gerudo Town. 

“ **There’s Pearl!** ” Connie called.   
Pearl sighed and shook the sand from her hair. “ **Hey guys.** ”   
“ **Rough day...** ” Garnet simply said.   
“ **Eh, I’ve had worse. I found a** **Molduga** **, and a shrine.** ” She held up the slate, showing them the picture of Molduga as it leapt through the air, jaws opened wide.   
“ **You fought one of those?!** ” Amethyst gasped.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **It was actually pretty easy. Toss a bomb, wait for it to leap up and swallow it, explode, beat it senseless whilst it was stunned. Only took three rounds of that. And I got the guts that woman wanted.** ” She held up the small sack, which had taken a green tinge and as they watched, a single drop oozed through and dripped down from it.   
“ **Ewww** **!** ” everyone held their noses.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Yeah... How do** **ya** **think I feel, with this thing?** ” she said, tapping her large nose. “ **I’m probably** **gonna** **spend the night making sure the bag’s clean... Where’s that girl who needed these?** ”   
Steven pointed at the Gerudo woman walking down the steps towards them. “ **She’s** **dere** **...** ” he said, his nose pinched closed. 

Pearl walked over and held out the bag. < ** _Here, the kids said you needed_** ** _Molduga_** ** _guts to heal your husband?_** >   
The woman’s eyes widened. < ** _You... You’ll give these to me?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yep. Fresh caught today. And clearly still dripping..._** > she grimaced as a drop narrowly missed her foot.   
< ** _Oh,_** ** _sarqso_** ** _!_** > she squealed, taking the dripping bag. < ** _This is all I have to thank you with, but I insist you take it._** > she held out the shining golden rupee, and Pearl accepted it. < ** _This will save him..._** > she sniffed, wiping her eyes.   
Pearl sighed and returned to the group. “ **Okay, let’s find somewhere to hang out and make sure the bag’s clean. In the morning, there’s something else I need to check out, so I want to get started as soon as possible.** ” 

The kids watched, wide-eyed at the large collection of things Pearl laid out on the ground. “ **And... there, that’s everything.** ” she sighed, turning the bag inside out.   
“ **Whoa, that’s a lot of stuff for that little bag...** ” Amethyst breathed.   
Connie glanced at Pearl as she started to scrubbed the bag in the small bowl of water. “ **Does it work like your gem?** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Don’t know, to be honest. All I know is that bags like this have a special spell cast on them, or some sort of magical property woven into them. Some say that they’re actually blessed by the goddesses, and all of the bags in existence was originally made for a hero of the past. Which is why there’re so few of them.** ” she shrugged again. “ **Anyway, they’re damned near indestructible, can held an amazing amount of stuff, and also preserve most things put into them. So, it’s really more like... my gem works like these bags.** ” 

“ **That looks warm.** ” Garnet pointed at the boots, and Pearl glanced over.   
“ **Oh.** ” she chuckled. “ **Yeah, I just got those. There’s a guy running around outside the town. He was flirting really badly with me, bragging about his jogging skills on the sand. I asked about the boots, and he said he’d give them to me in exchange for a photo of a certain statue that no-one knows the location of. It's up in the highlands, which are pretty cold, so he lent me these snow boots to travel more easily up there.** ” she laughed. “ **Joke’s on him; I don’t even need his sand boots. I can just use my powers to stop the sand from shifting under me.** ” she waved a hand, lifting the sand nearby into a small statue of Steven. “ **So yeah, he’s not getting these back.** ”   
“ **Pearl! That’s stealing!** ” Steven moaned.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, maybe he’ll learn a lesson about not being creepy towards strange woman. I mean, he went on about being thirty-five, single and ready to mingle, and he didn’t even bother asking my name.** ”   
“ **Serves him right.** ” Amethyst huffed. “ **Flirting with my Pearl... Where is this creep?** **Imma** **go thump him.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **No, you’re not. Having his boots stolen will be punishment enough.** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	52. Spinnin Round the Base

With the sky just beginning to lighten, Pearl put away the shield and took the sword that Garnet handed to her. “ **Okay, that’s the last one.** ” she sighed, bagging it. “ **And just in time. I need to head out.** ”   
“ **Plans for today?** ” Amethyst asked, chewing on a slice of Hydromelon.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, firstly, I’m** **gonna** **check out that statue I saw on the way to the** **Molduga** **. The sword seemed to be pointing towards a sandstorm, so I** **wanna** **check it out, see if it’s a hint for a shrine. Plus, it’s also pointing** **kinda** **north, towards the** **Karusa** **Valley. That's where I have to go to get the Thunder Helm back from the** **Yiga** **Clan, so I'll try for that whilst I'm in the area. I might be gone for a couple of days. Steven, you’ll need to lay low during that time. If you get caught, they’ll probably just throw you out. If that happens, just go into the shrine out there. It's below ground, so it’s cooler and you won’t get sunburned, plus I've already cleared it. Um...** ” she paused, looking thoughtful. “ **I think there was some electricity-based puzzle in there. Just don’t touch anything that’s glowing, and you should be fine.** ”   
“ **Okay Pearl.** ” Steven nodded.   
“ **The only other thing I can suggest is that one of you go and explain to Riju that he got thrown out, and see if she’ll let you climb in the window at the back of the throne-room.** ” Pearl shrugged. “ **But if not, yeah. Just wait in the shrine.** ” 

Waving, Pearl walked out of the town before turning and going towards the tall statue in the distance. Reaching it, she looked up at the large sword and nodded. “ **Okay, let’s see where you want me to go.** ” 

After a short walk, she pulled a chest from the sand using Magnesis and kicked it open. “ **Hmm, nice spear...** ” she mused, eyeing off the other chest. “ **Huh,** **Magnesis** **doesn’t work on that one... Stasis either...** ”   
Suspicious, she fired an arrow at it. Suddenly, the chest burst from the sand, revealing the octorok beneath. Pearl quickly shot it with an arrow and walked over to collect the dropped loot. “ **Okay,** **octoroks** **can have fake chests on their heads now. That’s new.** ”   
Returning to the real chest, she looked around. “ **Well, that can’t be what the statue was pointing at...** ” she spotted another statue to her left and nodded. “ **Right, that’s more like it.** ” 

“ **Real chest.** ” she nodded, pulling it from the sand and putting the slate away.   
Checking the statue, she turned and eyed off the distant rocky outcrop. “ **That way.** ”   
Reaching the outcrop, she groaned at the sight of the three monsters below. “ **Great. Oh well.** ” she muttered, drawing her sword.   
After defeating the trio, she pulled the nearby chest out and opened, collecting the bundles of arrows with a shrug. “ **Right, now to find the next statue...** ” 

Off in the distance to her left, she could see the blue glow of the shrine near the Molduga. Behind a stone pillar, she sighed with relief to find the statue, pointing into the sandstorm. Pearl sighed and reached out to the sand, shifting it around as she moved forwards.   
Shaking her head at the giant vertebrae, she set out from the next statue.   
Veering around the rocky outcrop with the Lizalfos outpost, she used the sand around her to shield her from their view as she ran on.   
Nearing a large rock pillar, she climbed up, scanning the area. “ **Ah, there’s a statue... and a shrine, yes!** ”   
Gliding down, she ignored the Lizalfos that started towards her as she jogged to the shrine and opened it. 

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Outside, she sighed with relief to see that the sandstorm has disappeared. Looking up, she marvelled at the giant ribcage overhead. “ **Geez... Did it eat the shrine...** ” she sighed, taking out the slate. “ **Hmm... Well, I’m pretty close to the** **Karusa** **Valley. If I stay here for the night, I can easily reach it tomorrow.** ” 

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Jogging east, she kept close to the cliff wall, avoiding the gaze of the Lizalfos in the outpost.   
Rounding the rocky cliff, she saw tall rock pillars, with lines draped between them. Checking the slate, she nodded. “ **This is the** **Karusa** **Valley.** ” she shook her head. “ **Looks more like a canyon to me...** ” she sighed. Passing through the pillars, she headed into the narrow canyon. 

Looking up at the red sandstone walls, she gently touched one. “ **Huh, looks a lot like the Beta Kindergarten site...** ” she rubbed the small grains from her fingers. Up ahead, she spotted two small figurines on top of a low ledge and raised an eyebrow. “ **What’s that?** ”   
Climbing up, she examined the statues. “ **Some** **kinda** **frog? Garnet would like ‘** **em** **...** ” she looked along the canyon. “ **There’s more of them... Someone likes frogs.** ”   
Looking ahead, she spotted three large stone boulders rolling down the canyon’s sloping floor. “ **Great, I’ll have to dodge them too...** ” she sighed, moving closer to the canyon wall. 

Looking up at the sand slowly trickling down from above, she moved slower through the canyon. ‘ _This is a really good place for an ambush..._ ’   
Turning the corner, she paused, looking at the scattered frog statues sitting around. “ **Okay, someone** ** _really_** **likes frogs...** ”   
Moving to the side, she climbed up the rockface, keeping close to the edge of the canyon. A faint rocky path appeared to exist here, and cautiously she stepped towards it.   
With a burst of smoke and a laugh, a Yiga archer appeared. 

Pearl paused, quickly grabbing her bow. The archer disappeared, and Pearl drew an arrow, watching for the tale-tale flash of their reappearance. Quickly, she let two arrows fly, and the archer fell to the ground, dropping their bow. With a flash of white smoke, they glared at her before disappearing.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, they run when they** **realise that** **they’re not** **gonna** **win. That’s good. I don’t have to kill anyone.** ” Keeping her bow at the ready, she moved along the path cautiously. 

Reaching a frog-statue with its face covered by a cloth with an inverted Sheikah symbol, Pearl turned and looked back towards the desert. “ **Sun’s setting... I should find a place to hole up for the night...** ” she glanced to the left. “ **Wait... That looks like there could be a shrine there.** ”   
Jogging over to the dais, she grinned. “ **Yes. Let’s see...** ” she examined the stone tablet nearby. “ **If you seek power untold, offer a shining blue stone.** ” she looked at the nearby ore stones, which had started to glowed blue. “ **Duh. Could they have made this any easier?** ”   
After breaking the ores, she tossed a Luminous stone on the dais and braced herself for the shaking.   
Once the shrine had finished breaking free of the ground, she collected the stone and opened the door. 

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Pearl sat near the altar and licked the bowl with a sigh. “ **Ahh... that was good.** ” Checking the slate, she nodded and shoved the bowl into her bag. “ **Okay, Sun’s up. Time to go.** ” she stood and stretched briefly before walking over to the altar. 

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Passing the lone statue with the cloth, she looked around. “ **Hmm... inverted** **Sheikah** **symbol. Actually, that’s pretty fitting, considering that they splintered from the** **Sheikah** **.** ” she sighed. “ **I wonder... if they really worship my father, if I tell them who I am, will they just... give me the Thunder Helm?** ” she paused. “ **Probably not.** ” 

Pearl panted and sighed as the last Yiga archer disappeared. “ **Okay, what’s with the bananas?** ” she muttered, picking three of them up.   
Looking ahead, she shrugged. “ **Well, that looks like an entrance, so I guess I’m here.** ”   
Inside, she looked around the room, taking in the statues with the faces covered. Nearing one, she ran her fingers over the strange script carved into the sword. “ **Okay, that’s** **Gerudo** **...** ” she looked up at the covered face. “ **Why are the** **Yiga** **in a** **Gerudo** **place?** ” she frowned. “ **Oh... Probably because of my father...** ” she sighed. “ **Of course,** **they’d be attracted to this place. They probably think he hung out here all the damned time...** ” she grumbled. 

Looking at the long banners with the inverted eye of the Yigas, she took note of the nearby torches. “ **Fuck it.** ” she muttered, drawing her bow and selecting the fire arrows. “ **Imma** **burn all of this shit.** ”   
As the banners burned around her, she heard a squeak and drew her sword. “ **Place is infested with** **Yiga** **and** **keese** **...** ” she muttered.   
Pausing to collect any items, she finally walked over to investigate the large opening. “ **Hidden entrance, classic.** ” she sighed as she walked up the stairs. 

At the top, she paused, her eyes wide. Nervously, she glanced around before walking over to the cell. < ** _Hey..._** >she whispered to the Gerudo sitting on the other side of the bars.   
< ** _Hey, what are you doing here? This is the hideout of those_** ** _Yiga_** ** _thieves who stole the Thunder Helm...If they spot you, they’ll call their friends for sure. There's no way you can take them all on. If only you had some way of distracting them... but I don’t know how. All I ever see them do is patrol and eat bananas. I haven’t seen anything else that you could exploit as a weakness._** > she sighed. < ** _Listen, this place is dangerous. You should get out of here while you can. I can take care of myself._** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Gerudo_** ** _never leave a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _behind, sister. I’m getting you_** ** _outta_** ** _there, one way or another._** > she looked around. < ** _Maybe I'll be able to steal a key somewhere. I'll be back._** >

Looking off of the landing, she spotted a tall Yiga with a lantern walk to the left. Quickly, she glided down, slipping past him and down the stairs. Looking cautiously around, she looked at the small wooden chest and the Blademaster guarding the door. ‘ _Hmm... they like bananas..._ ’ Shrugging, she grabbed a bunch from her bag and tossed it out to her right, into the Yiga’s line of sight.   
Eagerly, the Yiga danced forwards, and Pearl stifled a laugh as she slipped behind him. Running to the chest, she opened it, frowning as she saw the Yiga turned back towards the doorway.   
She tossed another bunch of bananas and waited for him to turn back and run towards them with glee before slipping through the doorway.   
‘ _Holy shit, that’s funny..._ ’ she smirked. ‘ _These guys_ ** _really_** _love bananas..._ ’ 

Ahead, she saw a long ladder leading up and shrugged. ‘ _Okay, let’s see where that goes._ ’   
Going along the passageway, she sighed at the large pile of bananas. ‘ _Yeah, maybe love isn’t strong enough of a word._ ’ she grinned to herself. ‘ _Imma_ _steal the lot._ ’ she stifled a chuckle as she started dropping each bunch into her bag.   
Looking down into the room, she frowned at the sight of the Blademasters. ‘ _How..._ ’ she looked at the wooden walkways above, then at the latticework beside her. ‘ _I might be able to climb that..._ ’ 

Using the latticework as hand and footholds, she easily climbed around, jumping off once the walkway was within reach. Picking up another bunch of bananas with a soft sigh, she opened the chest and collected the silver rupee before looking down at the patrolling Yiga. ‘ _Ugh, more banners..._ ’ drawing her bow, she set them each ablaze as the Yiga stared in surprise.   
Pearl watched as the middle one disintegrated, revealing an opening. ‘ _Ah, okay. That works to. Maybe it’ll get me around that guy._ ’ she glanced at the Blademaster standing guard in front of the door.   
Tossing a bunch of bananas towards the guard, she smirked as two of them ran towards it goofily. Quickly, she jumped and glided through the revealed doorway, landing near two wooden chests. ‘ _Sweet, two gold rupees._ ’ she grinned. ‘ _These_ _Yiga_ _have some good loot._ ’ 

Looking nearby, she grimaced at the sight of the wooden spikes sticking out from the sides of the narrow hallway. ‘ _If I can get through there, I might end up behind that guard..._ ** _If_** _being the operative word..._ ’ Nearing the edge, she glanced over and shook her head. ‘ _Well, there’s no ladder, and I’m certainly not dropping down._ ’ she sighed. ‘ _Jump it is._ ’   
Making it through without a scratch, she breathed a sigh of relief and walked to the long ladder nearby. Looking around, she stifled a groan. ‘ _Back here... I’ll have to distract him with some bananas..._ ’   
Standing on top of the fabric awning facing him, she tossed a bunch down. As he ran towards them, she quickly glided right over his head, landing in the passageway and bolting around the corner with a sigh. 

Looking around, she spotted a wooden chest sitting in front of her, and three metal ones buried in the sand nearby. Checking the slate, she smiled widely as they glowed purple, and she quickly hauled each up in rapid succession. Ignoring the large metal panel set into the wall, she opened the chests. “ **Bananas and three gems, and they gave the bananas the place of honour? These people are crazier than I am...** ” she muttered.   
With a quick look around, she nodded. “ **Okay, that’s everything here.** " She shrugged, using Magnesis to turn the wall. 

Walking into the open area, she took careful note of the large hole in the centre of the ground.   
< ** _Hey!_** > Suddenly, a voice called out.   
She looked around, jumping slightly when a tubby man dressed as a Yiga jumped down in front of her.   
< ** _Who the heck_** ** _are_** ** _you? And what are you doing in my napping spot?!_** > he looked her over, his eyes pausing at her hip. < ** _Wait a minute... That thing on your hip... Is that... Could it be a_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate? If it’s a_** ** _Sheikah_** ** _Slate... Then that means... Yeah, IT’S YOU! You’re that Link guy I’ve been looking for!_** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. < ** _Are you quite sure about that?_** > she snarked.   
He shook his head. < ** _Or his daughter, I don’t care. You just wandered into my hideout!_** > he laughed. < ** _Oh, excuse me. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am the leader of the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _Clan. The strong! the burly!! The one!! The only!!! MASTER KOHGA!!! Now, prepare yourself!_** >

Pearl sighed as he posed and flexed. “ **I am so scared right now, oh my stars.** ” she deadpanned.   
Spinning away suddenly, he created a wall of light in front of himself, and Pearl quickly took a step back. Watching him warily, she watched as he swapped the wall for a small metal ball that hovered above his head.   
Pearl drew her bow, taking aim and firing towards him.   
The arrow brushed past his head, distracting him and causing the ball to drop onto him.   
Pearl sighed as she walked over and gave him a few swift kicks in the butt. “ **Dumbass...** ” 

Kohga jumped up and spun away again, hovering over the large hole in the ground. Stamping his feet angrily in mid-air, he summoned two metal balls, that started to spin around in him a circle.   
Pearl waited until on one was over his head before firing an arrow, nicking his ear.   
He yelped and the balls fell, one slamming into him and sending him tumbling towards her.   
Pearl gave him a few more swift kicks before he recovered and jumped up, spinning away and trying the same trick again. She rolled her eyes and nicked his other ear, giving him a few more kicks when he was down. 

Angrily, Kohga jumped up and summoned a small spiked ball. This time, he kept the wall up as he moved, sending the ball towards her.   
Pearl put her bow away and took out the slate, using Magnesis to send the ball flying into him.   
Once again, he tried the same trick.   
Pearl didn’t even hesitate, grabbing the new orb with Magnesis and slamming it straight down onto his head. 

< ** _Who would’ve thought... I’d be done in like this... And by this guy, of all people!_** >   
Pearl frowned. < ** _I’m a woman, dumbass!_** >   
Kohga stamped his foot. < ** _I DON’T CARE!!!_** > he panted and wheezed, finally clearing his throat. < ** _I almost lost my temper there... Argh, what a pain... I can’t go out this way. What to do, what to do..._** > he rubbed his left shoulder for a moment before bursting out laughing. < ** _Mwahahahaha_** ** _! I need to bust out my serious moves... A secret technique taught to me by my father’s mother’s father! It will... destroy you! This is the end!_** >

Pearl rolled her eyes as he started to concentrate, eventually summoning an oversized spiked metal ball that dropped between them with a thud. < ** _Ahahaha_** ** _—uh... Huh. Maybe it’s just a tad too big. Are you still over there?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Unfortunately, yes..._** >   
< ** _Well, no matter. Pretty soon you’ll be gone! And not just from my line of sight!_** >   
Pearl saw the ball shift slightly away from her and shook her head as she gave it a gentle push. < ** _Dude, I knew_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _, and he would kill your stupid arse himself!_** >   
He muttered something, and Pearl could only watch as the ball rolled towards him, knocking him back into the hole.   
< ** _Coward! I shall be remembered! The_** ** _Yiga_** ** _Clan will track you to the ends of_** ** _Hyruuuule_** ** _!_** >   
She heard a muffled thud from below and winced. “ **What an idi** **ot** **.** ”   
With a puff of smoke, a wooden chest appeared in front of her and she shrugged. “ **One Thunder Helm.** ” 


	53. Thundering Surf

Looking across the area, she spotted a path leading up and out of the canyon area. “ **I might as well have a look at that. But I’d better go and check on that** **Gerudo** **first.** ”   
Examining the door panel, she groaned. “ **And it’s sealed. Great...** ” she took out the slate. “ **Well, I can just warp back to that shrine. It's closer to her cell anyway.** ” 

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Running back into the hideout, she quickly went up the stairs and paused. “ **Oh... I hope they haven’t done anything to her..**.” she walked towards the opened cell door, leaning in and looking around. “ **Oh?** ” stepping in, she turned and looked at the few symbols scratched into the wood beside the door. < ** _Strange_ ** **_Gerudo_** ** _. Released. Town. Barta._** > Pearl sighed with relief. “ **Okay, that’s good. I’ll have to check up on her later...** ” she walked out of the cell. “ **But first, I should have a quick look around for any more loot.** ” 

Running back through the hideout, she sighed with relief to see that the Yiga had all disappeared. “ **I don’t know where they went, but I don’t care. Maybe they went to find more bananas or something, whatever...** ”   
She paused to collect a few gems sitting on top of barrels before returning to the final room and opening the wall panel.   
Running across the area where she had fought Kohga, she paused and looked up. “ **Hmm, looks cold. Better get changed. Try out those new snow boots.** ” 

Running through the canyon, she paused to fight a Lizalfos. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a large snowball rolling down the canyon and stepped aside, smirking as the Lizalfos got hit. Stepping forwards, she finished it off easily.   
“ **Hmm, there’s a shrine around here somewhere...** ” she muttered as her slate started beeping. “ **I should focus on getting out of this canyon first.** ” 

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Finally, she jogged out onto roughly level ground and looked around. “ **I’d better avoid that monster camp for now... The shrine is... Ah, this way.** ”   
Climbing up the nearby small cliff, she jumped across to the next and climb to the top, staring at the sight ahead. “ **That’s a lotta ice...** ” she muttered. Looking up, she spotted two Wizzrobes dancing through the air and sighed. “ **And I** **gotta** **deal with them too...** ”   
Firing an arrow at the giant ice crystal, she watched as the ice started to melt. The two Wizzrobes drew closer out of curiosity, and Pearl quickly fire two more arrows in rapid succession, destroying them.   
Jumping down, she dropped a small bundle of firewood near the ice and set it alight. Returning to the narrow ledge, she sat down and waited. 

Finally, as the sun began to set, she fired an arrow at the ice, destroying the last trace of it from the shrine’s pedestal. “ **Ugh, finally! That took way too long...** ” Pearl muttered as she opened the shrine. 

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Pearl sighed and looked at the slate. “ **Huh. I’m just one orb away from being able to trade for a couple... Umm...** ” she scanned over the map. “ **Ah! There’s still that beacon, good. Let’s see... I’ll start from there.** ” 

Arriving at the Sasa Kai shrine, she put the slate away and looked down towards the sandstorm. “ **I can’t see the shrine’s glow from here... But if I just aim for the beacon, I should be fine.** ”   
Gliding through the storm, she used her powers to clear the space below her. After a short moment, she cleared a rock formation and spotted the orange glow. “ **There.** ” she smiled, tapping the glider’s quick-release lever for a fast descent. 

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Stretching, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, head back, trade the orbs, and then start on getting into that beast.** ” she murmured, taking out the slate. 

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Pearl nodded at the guards as she walked through the entrance to Gerudo Town. Looking around, she spotted the group to the left, sitting in the sand near the clothing shop. “ **Hey guys.** ”   
“ **Pearl!** ” Amethyst grinned, jumping up and giving her a hug.   
Steven grinned. “ **Guess what we found?** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **An orange dinosaur?** ” she teased.   
The boy laughed. “ **No! Unless...** ” he looked at her with starry eyes.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No. As far as I know, they don’t exist in Hyrule.** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Ah, okay.** **But,** **we found that password, for the door back here.** ”   
“ **Yeah, now we can see what’s back there.** ” Connie added.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Cool, lead the way. Can’t take long though. I’m planning on getting into the Divine Beast before sundown.** ” 

< ** _GSC diamond._** > Connie whispered at the door.   
There was a click. < **Okay, come on in.** > the voice replied, followed by the sound of footsteps.   
Pearl nodded and pushed the door open, and the group stepped inside.   
They looked around the small barely lit room.   
“ **Oh wow!** ” Amethyst looked at the clothes, the lines of bones glowing faintly in the gloom. “ **Check this out!** ”   
Connie gasped. “ **That is so freaking cool!** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Must have luminous stones embedded in it or something. Probably doesn’t look as cool in full sunlight.** ” she glanced at the other outfit. “ **Huh. Hey, St-** ” she glanced at the Gerudo nearby. “ **Nora, come here.** ” 

Steven glanced at the woman and walked over. “ **What is it?** ” he asked, his voice pitched up.   
Pearl pointed at the clothes nearby. “ **These are traditional clothes for males. Of course, the King got to wear something much more elaborate, and fitting his status, but if a** **Gerudo** **lady really liked a guy and wanted to give him a gift to make him an honorary member of the** **Gerudo** **, she’d give him a set of these. Usually hand-made by her.** ”   
“ **Wow...** ” he whispered.   
Pearl nodded. “ **It’s got sapphires all through it though, for the cooling effect, to make it easier for non-** **Gerudo** **to survive out here. No good during the nights, of course. But there is the option to add topazes, for electrical resistance, in order to protect him from** **Lizalfos** **attacks.** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **That’s pretty neat, Pearl.** ” 

Leaving the small secret clothing shop, Pearl looked up at the chief’s palace. “ **Okay, I just need to swap some orbs. Then I can go return this helmet, then get into that beast.** ” she patted her bag. 

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As they walked towards the large building, they spotted young Pearle running past.   
Pearl paused and grinned. “ **That still makes me feel pretty good.** ” she laughed. “ **Anyway, let’s head on up.** ” she nodded towards the stairs. 

At the top of the stairs, they paused. “ **Oh, Riju’s not in...** ” Pearl huffed. “ **Okay, I’ll ask** **Buliara** **.** ”   
Pearl approached the taller Gerudo, but before she could open her mouth, Buliara spoke. < ** _If you are looking for Lady Riju, she’s on the second floor. Normally people aren’t allowed into her sleeping quarters, but she has given you permission it seems... Be on your best manners. If she deems you to be a disturbance to her, it will not end well for you!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Not planning on upsetting anybody._** > Turning, she shrugged. “ **Okay guys, I’ll be upstairs. I don’t know if you’re allowed, but you can try following, see what happens.** ” 

On the small landing in front of the upper level, they found Riju, standing looking out over the town.   
< ** _I’ve been waiting for you..._** > she smiled. < ** _Oh, you needn’t say a word. As the chief of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, I can sense the power of the heirloom flowing from you. I know that you’ve succeeded! I am, as you have no doubt noticed, still but a child. The people look on me with nothing but warmth in their eyes, but even this brings me some pain, I must admit... I’ve tried so hard to be worthy of their love, to be a worthy chief... and to prove to myself that I was worthy too._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I know the feeling, believe me..._** > she sighed.   
Riju smiled faintly. < ** _When my family heirloom was stolen, I felt as if a shadow had fallen over me... Yes, your arrival in the midst of all of this must be the work of Lady_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _... Now, please give me the helm._** >

Pearl reached into her bag and carefully handed it over to the young girl.   
Riju held it briefly before placing it onto her head. < ** _Um. How do I look?_** > she asked nervously, holding it on with both hands.   
Pearl smiled. < ** _Like a chief._** >   
Riju smiled under the over-sized helmet. < ** _The threat Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Naboris_** ** _poses has only grown since we began searching for the heirloom. I believe that_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _Town itself may be in danger before too long... As chief, and as a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, we must find some way to stop that thing before it threatens our people. Will you help me?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Of course!_** >   
Riju laughed. < ** _Who would have thought that, just before such a momentous battle... hearing a simple, confident pledge of support from you would be what puts me at ease?_** > she shook her head, holding the helmet in place. < ** _I’ll head out now. Let's meet up at the lookout post south of town._** > she pointed out towards a rock outcrop with flags standing high above. < ** _There’s only one way to get close to_** ** _Naboris_** ** _, and that with the help of a sand seal. The lookout post isn’t too far from town, but you should take a sand seal there. You can get some practice in that way. You can rent one near the eastern or western entrances of town, or catch a wild one. The wild ones will run away if you fall though..._** > she turned back to Pearl. < ** _I’ll be waiting for you there in the morning with my favourite sand seal, Patricia. That should give you some time to practice._** > the helmet fell down over her face, and she grunted as she reached to readjust it. < ** _Still... It really is a little big..._** >

Pearl watched Riju walk off, and turned to the others. “ **Okay, I need to try out this seal surfing thing, cause apparently I'm** **gonna** **need to know how to do that to get into the beast.** ” she shrugged. “ **I’m** **gonna** **head off now, get as much practice as I can tonight before I go to meet up with Riju in the morning.** ”   
“ **Be safe.** ” Garnet nodded. 

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As the sky lit up, Pearl sighed and turned towards the outcrop. “ **Right, I think I've got the hang of this now...** ” she murmured.   
Nearing the stone, she hopped off the shield, and the sand seal flopped to the ground. “ **Thanks.** ” she murmured, walking towards the building. Looking up, she saw a wooden platform above and shrugged, turning towards the ladder. “ **She’s probably up there.** ” 

At the top, she found Riju standing, looking out towards the sandstorm that surrounded the beast with the helmet atop her head. < ** _What a sight. Divine Beast_** ** _Naboris_** ** _is pretty intimidating... If we want to get close enough to that thing, we need to use sand seals... Are you ready?_** >   
Pearl look out towards the beast. < ** _Of course! I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to help my people._** >   
Riju nodded. < ** _Good. Let’s get going then!_** >   
The pair quickly descended the ladder, Pearl choosing to glide down and waited near her dawdling rented sand seal. At the bottom, Riju walked towards a large sand seal. < ** _First, we’ll use the sand seals to get in really close to that thing. I'll take the lead. I'm counting on you to shoot at its feet with bomb arrows._** ** _Naboris_** ** _draws energy from the ground to keep moving. If you damage the feet, I think you can stop it. Those lightning strikes, though... Getting hit even once could prove fatal. The Thunder Helm can repel the lightning strike, protecting me from harm. But it can also shield a limited area around me... You’ll have to stay close if you don’t want to be shocked._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, got it._** >   
< ** _And listen..._** > Riju sighed. < ** _If you’re too injured to keep fighting, promise me you’ll retreat here to the lookout post. Don't do anything reckless under any circumstances._** >   
Pearl laughed. < ** _As the adult, isn’t that supposed to be my line?_** >

Riju laughed with her. < ** _Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Oh, here are some_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _bomb arrows. There aren’t many, so be sure to put them to good use._** >   
Pearl took the offered bundle of arrows, placing them within easy reach. < ** _I have some limited power over sand, so I can help to clear the storm a little around us. That should help a lot with my aim. Right, we’re good to go?_** >   
Riju gave a quick nod. < ** _Yeah, just give me a bit of room, just for a moment..._** > she sighed, raising her arms into the air. < ** _My name is Riju, descendant of the royal line and leader of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _people! With the power of the heirloom passed down in my family, I shall calm the Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Naboris_** ** _. Ancestors of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _! Answer my call! Aid me in this task!_** >   
With a crackling burst of energy, the helmet created a wide circled of energy around them, centred on Riju. She turned and smiled. < ** _Oh, wow! I can feel their power coursing through me!_** > she reached up to adjust the slipping helmet. < ** _Let’s move!_** >   
Pearl shook herself off. < ** _Uh, sure. Let’s do this!_** >   
The two gripped the lines that trailed behind the sand seals and once Pearl had tied them to her waist, they both gave a quick shout, urging them on towards the sandstorm. 

As they entered the sandstorm, Pearl concentrated and the swirling sand particles whooshed away from them.   
Riju glanced over. ‘ _She’s really..._ ’ < ** _We’re getting close, be ready!_** > she shouted.   
< ** _Got it!_** > Pearl shouted back, reaching back and grabbing her bow, a bomb arrow in the other hand. 

As they ducked and weaved through the beast long heavy legs, Pearl took aim and fired two arrows in quick succession. As the smoke cleared from the explosions, one of the glowing feet went dark, and she veered back, getting within Riju’s protective circle as the beast fired its lightning bolt. The second it was done, she urged the sand seal into a dash, aiming for another foot. It lifted up after the first shot, the second arrow flying harmlessly beneath it, and she quickly adjusted her aim, hitting it in mid-air. She went for another foot, letting the second arrow fly as the beast struck. 

Pearl was sent flying off the shield, the sand seal instructively coming to a stop as its training prevented it from dragging her.   
Riju pulled up nearby, her protective aura covering them both. < ** _Are you okay?!_** > she called, fear in her voice.   
Pearl felt the electricity coursing through her body, her muscles twitching uncontrollably for a moment. She could feel every thump of the beasts’ feet as it moved away from them. 

After a moment, the pain subsided to a low tingling sensation. Pearl groaned. “ **Bloody hell, that hurt...** ” she wheezed, slowly moving her arms and legs. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... I think... I think so..._** > she panted, slowly sitting up.   
Riju stood nervously nearby, looking out to the beast as it slowly circled around. < ** _We cannot stay here long, it will return... Perhaps we should retreat to the lookout post..._** >   
Pearl shook her head quickly, her head swimming. “ **Ugh, that’s not** **pleasant** **...** ” < ** _No, no... I’m fine..._** > she carefully stood up, wobbling as she rose to her feet. < ** _That just hit me like a sledgehammer... Besides, that’s two feet down. We can’t stop halfway there, right?_** >   
Riju glanced back at her. < ** _Are you sure?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, let’s get that damned thing._** > she sighed, looking around for her dropped bow. 

As they rushed towards the oncoming beast, Pearl took aim at its front legs. < ** _I think I can hit both of them between the next attacks!_** > she shouted.   
< ** _Good!_** > Riju called back.   
Pearl waited until the beasts' lightning had faded before rushing out. She let loose two arrows at the right foot before swerving and sending two more towards the left.   
As the arrows hit, the beast gave a loud roar, coming to stop as the sandstorm suddenly subsided.   
Without warning, it toppled to the ground, the legs folding up beneath it. 

The pair jumped from the sand seals and looked at the toppled beast.   
Riju looked at Pearl. < ** _Unfortunately, I cannot appease_** ** _Naboris_** ** _on my own._** >   
Pearl nodded, running towards the beast. She made it onto a short ramp just as it started to rise, the beast recovering and restarting it long trudge through the desert.   
< ** _Don’t let us down, Pearl._** > Riju sighed as the beast moved off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	54. Breaking the Camel's Back

Checking the time on the slate, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, I should get started...** ” she sighed, standing. “ **Glad I got a chance to rest up...** ” she muttered as she approached the pedestal.   
With the travel gate activated, Pearl waited. < ** _Hey,_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _._** >   
< ** _Well, well, well... You are certainly not whom I was expecting, but I can’t turn away a fellow_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. I can’t wait to see you take_** ** _Naboris_** ** _back from_** ** _Ganon_** ** _!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Looking forward to it. I know the routine though. Get the map, manipulate the beast, activate the pedestals, and check out the control unit._** >   
Urbosa laughed. < ** _Well, get to it then!_** >

Pearl shot an arrow at the small Guardian machine, pausing only to grab the scattered parts before running up the ramp.   
Running through the body of the beast, she paused, looking at the chest dangling over the ground below from a thin line of rope. Shrugging, she set it swinging with Magnesis, and let it go. It swung freely back and forth, slowing each time, and she quickly hit the rope with an arrow, severing it. The chest flew forward from its momentum, landing near her feet. She opened it for an ancient core, which she quickly bagged before returning to the beasts interior. 

Running up one of the ramps, she nodded. “ **Okay, here’s the main control unit...** **So** **this is where I’ll have to fight whatever this one’s** **gonna** **throw at me.** ” she examined the area, shaking her head. “ **Not much room to move... and it’ll probably be up here when I’m down there...** ”   
She looked around, turning around. “ **Oh, that must be the map terminal.** ” she jumped down and climbed up the slope, reaching the terminal with ease.   
Looking at the map, she nodded. “ **Okay, I can rotate this one’s belly in sections.** ” she examined the map more closely. “ **Hmm... Ahh, if I rotate that ring there...** ”   
She turned and watched as the ring rotated. “ **Right, that should do it.** ” she nodded, jogging towards it. 

Looking up, she nodded, moving to stand on the right side of the right-hand vertical wall. Taking out the slate, she rotated the ring again, returning the beast to its default setting as she was carried up.   
Looking between the two arms of the walkway, she spotted the glowing eyeball and quickly fired an arrow, destroying the malice blocking her path. She was then able to easily walk around to the first terminal, activating it before turning towards the treasure chest below.   
“ **Hmm, how to get that...** ” she mused, looking around the area. Looking at the map, she rotated the middle ring once, and the beast moved, causing the chest to end up in front of her. She smiled as she jumped and glided down to it. 

Carefully, she walked around the platform as it rotated, sighing with relief as it came to a stop. “ **That chest was tricky...** ” she muttered.   
Looking around, she shrugged. “ **Okay, I guess I get those lined up now...** ”   
With the bright green line overhead, she watched as a disc at the front of the beast started to spin, two large holes revealing doorways at the top and bottom. “ **That way.** ” she nodded.   
She looked at the disc carefully. “ **Hmm... I’ll have a look at that first.** ” 

Riding the disc to the top, she quickly jumped and glided down, entering the large hole in the centre. As she looked, she whistled lowly. “ **Damn, that a lotta spikes... and lasers...** ”   
Running and weaving past the hazards, she reached a chest on a small ramp, with a glowing eyeball behind it. She quickly destroyed the eyeball before opening the chest, clearing the malic from the passage. Shrugging, she turned around and returned, dropping down and riding the disc back to the top. 

Dropping down, she examined the large crossed-shaped spindle and the two electrodes. Pushing it clockwise, she noticed one electrode rotating away, the other remaining stationary. Continuing to turn, she lined up one electrode and looked at the other. “ **Okay... how do I...** ” she gave the spindle a quick shove in the other direction, noting with relief that the first electrode stayed still and the second started to move. Quickly, she got both lined up.   
With a roar, the beasts neck moved, standing straight up, and a lift started running up and down its length.   
Pearl quickly jumped on and rode it to the top, looking out across the barren landscape. She snapped a quick picture with the camera before examining the nearby terminal. 

Back inside, she looked across the beasts’ interior, looking at the hole on the other side. “ **Hmm...** ” her eyes scanned across, looking for a potential route. “ **Ah, got it.** ”   
Looking at the sliding metal blocks, she moved them with Magnesis. Nearby, the beasts’ tail lifted, and her eyebrows rose. “ **Uhhh** **... Ah, cut power in the main room.** ”   
She rotated the rear section once, bringing the conduit out of alignment and dropping the tail again. Moving around to the end of the tail, she found an electrode, and stood nearby to rotate the tail again. She was lifted up, finding herself near a ramp with a glowing eyeball. She drew an arrow and neared it, and the second it open, she let the arrow fly, destroying the eye. 

Inside the hump, she found another eyeball which she quickly dispatched, revealing a ladder made of latticework. Climbing it, she found another cross-shaped spindle and gave it a spin, watching as a disc below spun until the nearby electrode lit up blue. A large lift started moving, revealing another floor below, and she quickly dropped and glided down.   
Destroying another eyeball, she looked around the small area. “ **Huh. Nothing.** ” stepping onto the elevator, she started to ride it back up, a glow catching her eye. Quickly, she cast Stasis on the lift, pausing it before she quickly dragged the chest over with Magnesis. Looking around, she spotted an electric orb and grabbed that, dragging it towards the lift just as Stasis wore off. The orb hit the ceiling and bounced down, landing on the floor below.   
Sighing, she opened the chest and picked up the orb, stepping off the lift at the top. “ **I can deal with the orb later...** ” she muttered. 

Crossing over to the other hump, she took out the Guardian Scout before destroying another malice eyeball, revealing another terminal. Activating it, she turned and looked around, glancing up at the hole in the ceiling. “ **Up, first.** ” she nodded.   
Looking across, she spotted another chest and looked down at the platform moving below. Jumping down, she rode it over to the other side, opening the chest before riding it back over.   
She spotted another electric orb and picked it up, riding the lift down to the bottom. 

Dropping the orb, she quickly destroyed the eyeball with an arrow. Looking around, she spotted a small pale electrode above the door and used Magnesis, picking the orb up and holding it near the door. It slid open, and she quickly dropped the orb, grabbing her bow and quickly firing at the two guardian scouts in the new room.   
With a sigh, she put the bow away and looked into the room, finding two small circular pads. Picking the orb up, she dropped it onto one of the pads.   
Looking on the other side of the room, she saw an open doorway, the orb sitting just on the other side. She smiled as she picked it up and placed it on the pad. “ **I guess it was a good thing that it fell down here...** ” she mused as the large metal bars slid up, giving her access to another terminal. 

Examining the map, she frowned. “ **How do I reach that?** ” she muttered. Walking through the rear hump of the beast, she looked out, peering around the edge of the beast. “ **I could try gliding down that way...** ” she sighed. “ **The things I do for my people...** ”   
Landing, she quickly drew a sword, bashing the small machine until it crackled and exploded. Sighing, she looked through the nearby doorway, grinning when she saw the terminal inside. Stepping in, she rotated the beast until the terminal was in front of her and activated it.   
< ** _Well done! That was the last of the terminals. Now for the main control until._** > Urbosa sounded pleased.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I should rest first, but yeah._** >


	55. Thunderblight

With a flash of light, Pearl found herself on the Divine Beast. “ **I can’t believe I almost forgot to get this stuff upgraded...** ” she muttered, slipping on the oddly-shaped rubbery helmet. “ **Well, at least now I’m shockproof.** ”   
Walking back into the beast, she nodded. “ **And I don’t have to rearrange anything. Good. Okay, Master Sword, check. Strong shield, check. Feeling rested? Eh, it’ll do.** ” she walked up to the control unit and sighed. “ **Let’s do this thing.** ” 

Standing back, she watched the Blight form above her. Similar in appearance to the others, she frowned at the sight of the large blue ancient shield on its left arm. “ **That’s new...** ” she muttered.   
Urbosa spoke up. < ** _Stay on your edge, Pearl! This formidable adversary was made by_** ** _Ganon_** ** _and brought me to a warrior’s demise one hundred years ago. Do not allow this to be your end._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Not planning to._** >   
< ** _Fight for your life... and its death!_** >

The blight flexed and suddenly moved in a blur.   
Pearl quickly raised her shield, Daruk’s Protection forming around her.   
The beast slammed into her, bouncing off the bubble, and Pearl quickly leapt forwards and slashed away with the sword. The blight fell down to the floor below and she jumped after it, getting in one last hit. It recovered all too quickly and darted away, and Pearl held back, waiting for its next move.   
Once again, it darted forward and she held it back, cornering it against a wall. She struck it fast and true, and it reared up with a roar, disappearing and returning to a spot above the control unit. 

The blight raised its sword arm into the air, gathering power and covering the sword with lightning.   
Suddenly, large metal spikes came crashing down around her, and she dodged, watching the blight warily.   
It summoned small lightning strikes, channelling them through the metal spikes.   
Taking out the slate, she quickly used Magnesis, lifting a spike up and guiding to a spot near the blight.   
Summoning more lightning, the beast was struck by its own charge, dropping to the floor.   
Pearl jumped down and attacked it, but it recovered and moved away after only one hit. 

The blight returned to its previous pattern of rushing towards her, swinging its blade.   
Pearl quickly raised her shield, and the blade bounced off, giving her an opening for some rapid strikes.   
She watched the blight recovered, moving back and taking aim with a red beam.   
She swung her shield, and the beam bounced back, striking the blight head on. 

The blight shrieked and exploded, and Pearl sheathed her sword. < ** _Okay, that was a bitch..._** > As she returned to the control unit, she thought she heard a muffled laugh, and smirked. < ** _You agree,_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _I truly do._** > she replied. < ** _Now quickly, the control unit._** >   
Pearl reached the slate out to the console and waited.   
< ** _I knew you wouldn’t let us down, Pearl._** > Urbosa walked down the stairs, the blue flames around her feet skipping through the strange ancient material. < ** _Thanks to your valour and skill, my soul is free and_** ** _Naboris_** ** _is ours once again._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Wait, did I even tell you my name? How...?_** >   
Naboris laughed. < ** _Oh, I know exactly who you are, Pearl_** ** _Dragmire_** ** _, daughter of_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _._** >

Pearl flinched, watching Urbosa’s ghost warily. < ** _Oh? Is that_** ** _gonna_** ** _be a problem?_** >   
Urbosa shrugged. < ** _There are many stories and legends about you. All state your devotion to your people, and willingness to do whatever it takes to improve their lives. That is enough for me._** > she smiled. < ** _Besides, who else can say that they’ve met a living legend?_** >   
Pearl blushed. < ** _An increasing amount of people. Although, most don’t trust me at first. The whole ‘daughter of evil’ business..._** > she sighed. < ** _Admittedly, I was reluctant to do this whole hero thing. The goddesses_** ** _Farore_** ** _hauled me back here, and I can’t get back until either your regular hero boy wakes up, or the evil demon that possessed my father is defeated._** >   
Urbosa nodded. < ** _It is a challenging fate that has been thrust upon you. But still, I thank you, and I feel honoured to have met you. Now we can complete what was started one hundred years ago. After all, we Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business._** >

< ** _Hey, maybe you can answer a quick question for me...?_** > Pearl hesitantly asked.   
Urbosa gave her a look. < ** _If I know the answer, I shall provide it._** >   
Pearl rubbed her shoulder. < ** _Well, the current chief, Riju, helped me to get in her with the Thunder Helm. When she was activating it or whatever, she said that she’s a descendant of the royal line._** ** _Uhh_** ** _... How? Cause I know that I_** ** _certainty_** ** _never had kids, and there were no siblings that I was ever aware of..._** >   
Urbosa nodded. < ** _Unfortunately, that answer is lost to the sands of time. Perhaps her ancestor was related to you, however distantly._** >   
< ** _Yeah, I did have some cousins. I guess that makes sense._** > Pearl shrugged. 

Urbosa smiled. < ** _Now, I have something to give to you. A skill that has become known as_** ** _Urbosa’s_** ** _Fury. You should be able to use it with great skill, young_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _princess. It will no doubt be of use to you._** > she concentrated, and the yellow medallion formed in the air before her.   
Pearl reached up and grabbed it, looking it over. Instinctively, she reached up and snapped her fingers, a bolt of lightning crashing down behind her. < ** _That. Was. Cool._** > she murmured.   
Urbosa sighed. < ** _What happened to the Champions was a terrible tragedy, but it had to happen. No-one should carry blame. If you get the chance to speak with Link and Princess Zelda, please, tell them that. Tell them to shed any worries. And let her know... I couldn’t be_** ** _more proud_** ** _of her._** > As Pearl started to feel herself being warped away, Urbosa smiled. < ** _Tell Link to take good care of the princess. Oh, and also._** > she winked at Pearl. < ** _To take good care of Hyrule._** >

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In Gerudo Town, they watched as the Divine Beast suddenly paused in its endless trudge. It turned and started towards the distant mountain range, its feet digging into the rock as it began to haul itself up the steep cliffs.   
< ** _What’s going on?!_** >   
< ** _Has_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _returned to save us?_** >   
< ** _Are you_** ** _gonna_** ** _eat that?_** >   
< ** _The chief has done it! She calmed the beast!_** >   
Garnet looked up at the beasts’ progress. “ **Look like Pearl’s cleared that one. She should be back soon.** ”   
Amethyst grinned. “ **Awesome.** ” 

As the beast reached a flat plateau, it stopped, kneeling and dropping to the ground. Its head shifted, and the red targeting beam burst forth.   
Urbosa stood on top, watching as the beam targeted the castle. < ** _Nabooru_** ** _... Legend of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, celebrated over ages. And you, who were named to_** ** _honour_** ** _her—you are a legend as well. One lived during the time of the last_** ** _princess,_** ** _one was freed by her. It amazes me how things are connected over time._** > she sighed. < ** _Isn't that right,_** ** _Naboris_** ** _?_** >   
She looked out towards the castle, and her eyes narrowed. < ** _The bitter essence of defeat from a century ago still sits upon my tongue... But that is now in the past... It was written that Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _once adopted the form of a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. And that... will make this victory all the more satisfying. I like that. Now I can take this personally._** >

Pearl reappeared in front of the town in a flash of white light. Looking down at the yellow medallion in her hand, she smiled. < ** _The honour’s all mine,_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _..._** > she whispered, placing it in her bag.   
Feeling sweat trickle down her back, she shuddered. “ **Ugh, I’d better change out of all this rubber...** ” she muttered, turning towards the nearby shrine. 

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“ **Pearl!** ” she was swarmed with hugs, and she eagerly returned them.   
“ **Hey guys...** ” she sighed. “ **That’s three down, one to go.** ” she looked up at the palace. “ **Come on, I** **gotta** **go chat with Riju before doing anything else.** ” 

< ** _Oh,_** ** _you’re back?!_** > Riju leaned forward and sighed. < ** _I’m glad you’re okay... Truly, I am..._** ** _Naboris_** ** _is no longer a threat to the town... I’m still worried about the larger threat to Hyrule, but at least my people won’t be troubled by_** ** _Naboris_** ** _anymore._** >   
< ** _Any peace of mind is good, however small. And a good leader always puts their people first._** > Pearl nodded.   
Riju nodded and looked back at two small wooden chests that now sat behind her throne. < ** _I_** **_want to offer you these as thanks for your help. I trust you’ll accept them. These pieces of equipment are priceless treasures of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _people. They were once worn by Lady_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _. Since you are the legendary lost princess, its only right that you have them._** >

The room fell silent. < ** _You... you know who I am?_** > Pearl asked, nervously.   
Riju nodded. < ** _Yes._** ** _Impa_** ** _sent me a message via courier some time ago. At first, I didn’t believe it, and thought she had finally gone batty. But when you used your power to control the sand, well..._** >   
Buliara stared between them. < ** _Lady Riju, what is... This can’t be..._** >   
< ** _Oh, it is,_** ** _Buliara_** ** _. Somehow, the lost princess has been returned to our lands._** > Riju smiled. < ** _Although, I am uncertain if I should offer you a seat._** > she patted the throne beneath her.   
Pearl raised her hands. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... No, I-That's fine. I didn’t come back to reclaim my throne. It's yours._** >

Connie raised a hand nervously. < ** _Umm... What do you mean, legendary?_** >   
Riju smiled. < ** _There are many tales of the lost princess. I was told many of them when I was much younger. Sometimes, she is called the last princess. Some tales tell that she took over at a young age when her father was taken prisoner by the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _and sentenced to death. She died some years later as a prisoner of the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _, after being captured on a raid and dying of her wounds. Another tale tells that she lived to the ripe old age of 187, and was the greatest leader the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _had ever know. Yet another tale states that she took over as leader after her father was killed. She fought to protect her people and find resources for their survival. She was captured on a raid, and vanished without a trace. The Hylians claimed that she had escaped and fled into the Lost Woods, but she was always believed to have been secretly executed._** >   
Steven glanced up at Pearl. < ** _Why was she the last one though?_** >

Riju shrugged. < ** _Once again, there are many tales. One says that it was due to pressure by the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _to prevent another_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _king rising to power. Another tells that she herself had made the decision to end the tradition of_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _royalty, opting instead to become the first chief of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. And again,_** ** _another_** ** _states that as she had disappeared at a young age without an heir, ending the royal line, combined with pressure from the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _, we were unable to continue the tradition._** > she sighed. < ** _Of course, the heirlooms of the royal line, the Circlet of the King and the Circlet of the Heir were both lost around that time. Without those irreplaceable artefacts, it was also simpler just ending the tradition._** >   
< ** _Umm..._** > Pearl nervously started. < ** _I-I do still have the circlet... My circlet... I just... can’t get to it right now._** > she shrugged. < ** _I can bring it back as soon as I can though._** >   
Riju shook her head and waved a hand. < ** _No, that’s fine. Our people have long since adjusted to having a chief. I have no intention of being queen._** > she rolled her eyes. < ** _I also doubt the other races will be pleased if we returned to our monarchy, all things considered..._** > she smiled at Pearl. < ** _Besides, the Circlet of the Heir is hereditary. The old traditions that I was taught say that it was supposed to be possessed until death, where’d it shall then be passed on to a daughter or grand-daughter of your choosing. You are clearly still alive, so you are still the rightful bearer._** > Riju stood and gave a deep bow, and Buliara quickly moved to copy her. < ** _No matter how much time has passed... You shall always be welcomed in the lands of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, my Princess._** >

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	56. Search and Rescue

“ **Okay, sun’s coming up, so I’m** **gonna** **head out.** ” Pearl sighed.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Don’t be long.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, yeah, yeah... I just want to check out those statues, that’s all. After talking to that girl, my slate filed it under a shrine quest, so I have to have a look.** ”   
“ **Take care, Princess.** ” Connie smirked.   
Pearl reached out and ruffled the girl’s hair. “ **Watch it, girly. Or you’ll find yourself in the dungeon.** ”   
They laughed as she walked towards the sand seal rental place. 

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Pearl brought the seal to a stop and stepped off the shield, untying herself. < ** _Okay, you hang around here for a bit._** > she gave it a tentative pat before walking into the circle of tall statues.   
Ahead, she spotted three small dark orbs, each with a coloured symbol on them. She looked up at the statues. “ **Hmm... Okay, there must be three more orbs around here somewhere, and some sort of clue where each one goes...** ” 

After walking around the area, she sighed at the collection of five orbs. “ **Okay, where’s the last one?** ” she noted the wooden scaffolding rising up around one of the statues. “ **That’s as good a place to start as any. I might be able to find a clue as to where to put these...** ” 

Reaching the end of the scaffolding, she looked at the medallion on its chest. “ **Right, blue symbol. I saw that orb down there, so that’s good. I should find the three missing ones first though...** ” she looked around at the other statues. “ **I’ll try... over there.** ” 

Lifting the orb up with Magnesis, she dropped it over the edge to join the others below. “ **Right, now to find the last couple of markers, and I can finish this one...** ” 

Dropping the last orb into the hole, she knelt and waited for the shrine to appear. As the ground started to rumble, she sighed. “ **Got it.** ” 

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“ **Hey, I might have a mission for you.** ” Garnet said as Pearl walked into town.   
Pearl smiled. “ **So much for a rest... What’s up?** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **Not sure. I popped into the cantina with Connie to translate, and as far as we can figure out, the barkeep’s worried about someone. She usually comes in every day for a certain drink, but she hasn’t been seen in a while. Name's... Pokki, I think...** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Huh. Okay, I’ll ask around, she if anyone has an idea where she might have gone...** ” 

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Pearl brought the sand seal to a stop near the rocky outcrop. “ **Huh, there’s a shrine here.** ”   
Climbing up the short cliff, she found a Gerudo slumped over the pedestal in front of the shrine.   
< ** _Hey?!_** > she ran up and gave her a small shake. < ** _Are you okay?!_** >   
< ** _I’d just found the shrine too..._** > the woman muttered. < ** _Ugh, my throat... It’s so dry... I can’t move a muscle... If this really is the end... I wish I could have one last taste... One sip... One sip of an ice-cold Noble Pursuit..._** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **I feel like I'm in a beverage ad...** ” < ** _Okay, I’ll see what I can do._** > she looked at the slate. “ **Hmm... Probably back in town. Well, there goes that rental fee...** ” she sighed, dropping down to the sand seal. < ** _Hey, you head on back to town._** >   
The seal gave a strange noise and darted off, gliding through the sand.   
“ **Race** **ya** **.** ” Pearl said, tapping the slate’s screen. 

< ** _Yeah, do you know anything about a drink called Noble Pursuit?_** >   
The barkeeper nodded. < ** _Yes, that’s our speciality. It’s made with a rare treat, ice. You want to try one?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Well, it’s not for me, but sure._** >   
< ** _Unfortunately, I need a huge amount of ice to make that drink, and I'm fresh out right now._** ** _Besides_** ** _, it’s a really strong drink. Are you sure you want one?_** >   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Actually, it’s for this_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _I found collapsed out in the desert._** > she checked the slate. < ** _Uhh_** ** _..._** ** _Pokki_** ** _._** >   
< ** _What’d you say?_** ** _Pokki’s_** ** _collapsed? Hmm. I want to help her out, but I can’t make a you-know-what without ice. There's ice at the icehouse, but my legs aren’t in the best shape for hauling ice..._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _I can get it for you._** >   
The barkeeper stared at her. < ** _Are you serious? You'll get it? That'd be a huge help._** ** _Pokki_** ** _is my best customer, after all. I wish I could get the ice myself... Anyway, the icehouse is north of town._** ** _Anche_** ** _manages it, but I think if you explain the situation, she’ll let you have some ice. You should know that she heads to bed quite early. If you plan to go, you’ll need to get there while it’s bright out._** >   
Pearl nodded, and turned to leave. < ** _Okay._** >   
< ** _Oh_** ** _young lady..._** >   
She turned back. < ** _Huh?_** >   
The barkeeper sighed. < ** _Carrying ice all the way through the desert and then all the way to town? I can’t let that stand. If you bring the ice to the entrance to the ruins—between the town and the icehouse—I can take it from there._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _If you’re sure._** >

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Pearl ran through the ruins, dodging Lizalfos and hearing the small sounds of the arrows hitting the sand behind her.   
With a sigh, she spotted the wooden trapdoor underneath the rock formation ahead, and ducked down into the cooler space. “ **Finally** **... Ugh, but I** **gotta** **do that again...** ” she groaned. “ **With one of these...** ” she looked at the large block of ice. < ** _Uh, Hello?_** >   
Anche glanced at her. < ** _What is it, little_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _Pokki’s_** ** _collapsed in the desert south of town, and wants one of those Noble Pursuit drinks. The barkeep is out of ice, and sent me to bring a block back to her. She can make the drink, and we can help_** ** _Pokki_** ** _._** > Pearl summarised.   
Anche sighed. < ** _I see... Well, if_** ** _Furosa_** ** _wants ice, then you should bring her some. You’re permitted to take some ice. You've taken the heat into account, right? If you move too slowly, the ice will surely melt._** ** _Furosa_** ** _has no use for water..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah. My main concern is the_** ** _Lizalfos_** ** _between here and there._** > she said, attaching a Frostblade to her hip to keep the ice from melting.   
Anche lifted a block of ice onto Pearl’s upraised arms. “ **Oof** **... That’s heavy... No wonder** **Furosa** **didn’t want to do this...** ” she grumbled.   
< ** _Good travels, little_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** > Anche nodded. 

Pearl left the icehouse and looked out over the terrain. “ **Screw it. I'll head to the left. Maybe I can avoid everything that way...** ”   
Thankful for her powers to keep a solid footing, she trudged ahead, feeling the icy cold water trickling down her back. Seeing a Lizalfos ahead, she glanced around, dropping the ice into the nearby shade. Quickly, she dispatched the Lizalfos and collected the ice, continuing on. 

Before too long, she spotted the end of the ruins, Furosa standing nearby waiting.   
< ** _Heeey_** ** _! Over here! This way! Bring the ice over here!_** > Furosa called.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well duh... Where else am I** **gonna** **take it? Detroit?** ”   
Furosa nodded. < ** _Looks like the ice is_** ** _in_** ** _good shape._** ** _Sarqso_** ** _. With this, I'll be able to make the ultimate Noble Pursuit. Sorry, but could you please let_** ** _Pokki_** ** _know? Tell her that I've made the best one ever, and I've got it waiting for her... Knowing her, she’ll probably come running when she hears that there’s an amazing drink with her name on it._** >   
Pearl helped the older Gerudo lift the ice onto her back and watched her walk away. “ **Apparently,** **Pokki’s** **the town drunk.** ” she shrugged and took out the slate. “ **Well, I'd better get back to... shit. I couldn’t open the shrine. I’ll have to rent another sand seal...** ” she sighed, walking towards town. 

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Pearl sighed and untied herself from the seal. “ **Okay, this had better be an easy shrine...** ” she grumbled, climbing the short cliff. < ** _Hey._** >   
< ** _I can’t take it anymore..._** > Pokki groaned. < ** _I’m going to rot here..._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes. < ** _Actually,_** ** _Furosa_** ** _has made you an_** **amazing** ** _Noble Pursuit._** >   
< ** _Huh?_** > she lifted her head, staring blearily at Pearl. < ** _Did you say ‘best Noble Pursuit ever’?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Oh yeah. The freshest ice, delivered just this morning._** ** _I should know. I delivered it._** >   
Pokki stood up, wobbling slightly. < ** _Pfft, I am GONE!_** > she turned and started to jog towards town, all exhaustion forgotten.   
Pearl sighed. “ **Yeah, defin** **i** **t** **e** **ly the town drunk...** ” she shook her head and opened the shrine. 

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Returning to the town, Pearl sighed. “ **Hope the seal got back safely... Seeing as it took off whilst I was in the shrine...** ” she added under her breath. “ **Let’s see what other small crisis I can help with.** ”   
“ **Hey, a** **Gerudo** **lady just came running into town, and went straight to the cantina.** ” Steven asked.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah, that was** **Pokki** **. The town drunk, I imagine. She's happy with her drink now.** ” she shrugged. “ **So, hear about any other problems while I was gone?** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah, the guards are upset, because one’s gone missing. Barta, I think her name was?** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Ah. Yeah, she was taken prisoner by the** **Yiga** **not long ago. I’ll go talk to the guards, get some hints...** ” 

< ** _I’m afraid this time she went to investigate the leviathan bones in the southwest... I... I tried to stop her..._** >   
The guard huffed. < ** _But obviously it didn’t work because she’s not here!_** >   
< ** _Well, yeah... But... Everyone knows that area is the domain of the_** ** _Molduga_** ** _, so who would figure she’d even go close to there?_** >   
One guard shook her head. < ** _Yes, nobody would dare! And not only that, but it’s an extremely hot zone, so we wouldn’t last long there in our gear..._** >   
The other gasped. < ** _You... You IDIOTS! That scatterbrain wouldn’t even realise she was walking into danger! I mean, you know that, right?! Why, it was just the other day she ran off and got captured by the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _! Ugh... I guess Barta will be Barta, and you all aren’t going to change... But still, why does she have to go and get in trouble like this all the time..._** >   
Pearl stood nearby, listening. “ **Okay, to the southwest...** ” she took out the slate and examined the map. “ **Okay, those must be some big bones to make it onto the map... I’ll have to rent another seal.** ” she set a beacon on the spot as she turned. 

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Pearl used her powers to clear the air on front of her as she entered the sandstorm. Keeping the seal on a straight course, she glanced at the slate, frowning as the map disappeared. “ **Storm must be interfering or something. I just have to keep going straight, and I should stay on track...** ”   
Going past the monster encampment, she spotted something large looming out of the storm. Suddenly, the wind dropped and the sand disappeared, and she pulled up rapidly. “ **Whoa...** ” she whistled, looking up at the giant skull. “ **That’s a leviathan alright...** ” Looking around, she spotted a shrine, with a fairy fountain nearby. “ **Sweet... But, where’s Barta?** ” 

Looking around, she finally spotted a figure crouched near the leviathan's head.   
< ** _Are you... a fairy? An angel? Are you here to guide me on my passage?_** > Barta croaked.   
Pearl shook her head. < ** _Nope. I’m here to tell you that your boss is pissed at you for running off again._** >   
< ** _...Everything’s going hazy... This might be the end..._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Don’t make me throw something at you, Barta. Come on, snap_** ** _outta_** ** _it._** >   
Barta groaned. < ** _Ahh... If only I could have eaten a Hearty Durian one last time..._** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes and pulled one from her bag. < ** _Here. Eat this and get back to town._** >

Barta wiped her mouth and stood. < ** _Hah... I’ve returned from the brink of death thanks to you..._** ** _Sarqso_** ** _! Huh? Is that you I spoke to before?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _In the_** ** _Yiga_** ** _hideout, yes._** >   
Barta sighed. < ** _Sarqso_** ** _. Anyway, I'm totally exhausted. Maybe I'll rest just a little longer, then head home._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Okay, but your boss was MAD._** >   
Barta flinched. < ** _Huh?_** ** _So._** ** _.. they knew I snuck off... ...Oh, I am in so much trouble..._** > she muttered under her breath. < ** _Yep, looks like I'd better go on ahead. See you later and_** ** _sav’orq_** ** _!_** > she turned and started jogging through the desert, disappearing into the sandstorm.   
“ **I’ll have to check later, make sure she got back safely.** ” Pearl sighed, turning towards the shrine. 

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Pearl looked around at the deserted town. “ **Um... What happened?** ”   
“ **Everyone started talking all excited, then they streamed right out of town. They said something about a race.** ” Connie explained.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Okay, let’s go check it out. It shouldn’t be too hard to find an excited crowd of** **Gerudo** **in the desert.** ” 

Just to the south of town, they found the crowd gathered around, talking excitedly amongst themselves.   
Pearl looked at the platform nearby. “ **Oh, there’s a shrine here... A simple orb in the hole.** ” she looked around. “ **I wonder if they’ll just let me put that orb into place...** ”   
< ** _Hey, hey, hey!_** >   
Pearl paused and looked around.   
< ** _Only someone who has proven themselves may touch that ancient item!_** >   
Pearl raised an eyebrow. “ **She doesn’t know what I’ve done, does she?** ” she muttered.   
“ **Probably not.** ” Garnet said.   
< ** _Don’t for a moment think you can just walk up and touch it anytime you like! It's not for you!_** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, I’d better go find out what I have to do to get this one...** ” 

< ** _...You again! Don't bother_** ** _Tali_** ** _while she’s getting pumped up for the sand-seal race! Now that the Divine Beast is gone, we can finally use the race course! Actually..._** > she looked Pearl over. < ** _Did you want to try to beat_** ** _Tali’s_** ** _record? I’ll warn you—they don’t call her Dame of the Dunes for nothing._** >   
Pearl glanced up at the taller Gerudo with the shock of red hair and glanced back at Garnet. “ **Hey, I found your twin!** ” she called, grinning. < ** _Sorry, you look a lot like my friend. Sure, I’ll give it a try._** >   
The shorter Gerudo smirked. < ** _If you go out of bounds or fall off your shield, you lose._** ** _Tali’s_** ** _record is one minute and thirty seconds! If you can beat that record, that trophy is yours._** >   
< ** _Trophy?_** > Pearl asked.   
The woman pointed at the orb. < ** _This is the grand trophy that’s been passed down by ten thousand years of sand-seal racing champions._** ** _Tali_** ** _here is the current champion. Still_** ** _wanna_** ** _try to beat her record?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah._** >   
She smirked. < ** _I forgot to mention. Since you’re racing against the champ’s record, it’ll be fifty rupees per race._** >   
< ** _Of course_** ** _..._** > Pearl sighed, reaching into her rupee pouch. 

As Pearl stretched herself, the woman spoke through a cone to amplify her voice. < ** _A challenger has appeared to take on the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _sand-seal race! Apparently one who does not mind risking life and limb! But will our current record fall? The one set by our undefeated champ?! The incomparable beast of the desert... The sand seal is ready to ride! Can our new contestant reach the goal in less than one and a half minutes while still passing under every arch?!_** >   
Pearl glanced up as she tied the reins to her waist. “ **Wait... every arch? Oh, I should have gotten more detail about this...** ” she sighed. “ **Too late now...** ”   
< ** _The suspense is killing me! I’m going to start... the..._** ** _countdoooooown_** ** _!!_** >   
Pearl stepped onto the shield and took a deep breath.   
< ** _Three... Two... one... GO!_** >

Pearl urged the seal forwards, going immediately into a dash. She headed towards the first arch, which was two long shafts tied together at the top and firmly rooted into the sand. She passed the side of a rock to reach the second arch, and went underneath a ribcage to the third as the path curved.   
Passing under a second set of ribs, she hit the fourth arch easily and weaved between some small rocky outcrops towards the fifth arch.   
Avoiding some small boulders that fell, she made it to the sixth arch and shot between two large skulls of a monster encampment.   
Passing under the seventh arch, she spotted the finish line straight ahead, the crowd cheering beyond it. 

Pearl rode back towards the cheering crowd, giving a quick triumphant wave to them as she came to a stop.   
The older Gerudo stared at her. < ** _It’s... a new record?!_** >   
Pearl grinned. < ** _Can you believe I only learnt how to do this a couple of days ago?_** >   
Tali suddenly started applauding. < ** _… Perfect... I believe this belongs to you._** > she said, pointing at the nearby orb. < ** _This trophy is something special, you know. Our champions have passed down a legend about it for ten thousand years. The legend goes... ‘_** _ **When the holy jewel is offered unto the pedestal, the chosen one will be granted a new power.**_ ** _’ But that power has never been granted to anyone. Not even to me, obviously... And yet... I sense a power emanating from you... The likes of which I have never felt in anyone else. You should give it a shot._** > Tali turned to the assembled crowd and waved a hand towards Pearl. < ** _And so... A new champion is born!_** >   
The crowd started cheering and clapping loudly as Pearl blushed and waved. 

Once the crowd had started to disperse, Pearl grinned at the group. “ **That was actually pretty fun...** ” she laughed. “ **But I should put this orb in now. Brace yourselves; the shrine will come out of the ground, so there’ll be shaking.** ”   
As she dropped the orb in, she knelt to the ground, bracing herself. Nearby, the others did the same.   
Once the shrine had finished rising, she stood with a sigh. “ **Okay guys, I won’t be long... Then, I could really use some sleep...** **So** **wait in town, near the palace. I want to say goodbye to Riju before I leave.** ” 

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Pearl smiled at Riju. < ** _Hey, just letting you know that we’re heading out._** >   
Riju sighed. < ** _Okay. Pearl? When I wore the Thunder Helm and fought along your side, I thought I heard a name called out on the wind. I haven’t been called by my name in a while. That strong, warm voice... It must have belonged to_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _..._** > she sighed. < ** _You have done great deeds for our people, and we can only offer you our most heartfelt thanks._** ** _Sarqso_** ** _._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I would do anything for the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _people._** >   
Riju looked at the Thunder Helm sitting beside her. < ** _This Thunder Helm still holds some of_** ** _Urbosa’s_** ** _power. If it can help a true_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _in need, we will gladly lend you this sacred treasure._** >   
Pearl glanced at the helmet. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Are you sure?_** >   
Riju nodded. < ** _Yes. Please, take it. It shall hopefully help you on your quest. And if my heirloom can help defeat_** ** _Ganon_** ** _, I can only be proud._** >

Pearl nodded and took the helmet, placing it carefully into her bag. < ** _Sarqso_** ** _. Truly._** >   
< ** _I know that you, more than any other, will be able to use the Thunder Helm to its fullest potential... I believe you can unlock the power of_** ** _Urbosa_** ** _that lies within._** > Riju smiled.   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I shall do my best to be worthy._** > she bowed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, short break here before starting the next quest.
> 
> See ya next weekend!


	57. Day 8 - Fishbutts

_Day 8 Earth time..._

**_Days in Hyrule... 169..._ **

Pearl yawned as she stumbled around the side of the house, drying her hands on her pants. “ **Morn...** ” she grumbled, flopping down beside Amethyst.   
“ **Morning, sleepy-** **peepy** **...** ” Amethyst teased. “ **Breakfast?** ”   
Pearl nodded as she yawned widely. “ **Uh-** **huuuuh** **...** ” 

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As they finished off their bowls, Pearl sighed. “ **That was good, thanks...** ”   
“ **You’re welcome.** ” Garnet smiled, as Steven stood and collected the bowls.   
Connie wiped her mouth. “ **So, what’s the plan for today?** ”   
Pearl sighed, leaning against Amethyst. “ **Well, the temptation to take the day off is extremely strong... But I guess I should go to the Zora’s Domain next...** ” she frowned. “ **That’s the last Divine Beast, but also the people least likely to accept my help.** ”   
“ **Well, maybe they’ve already heard that you’ve helped everyone else, and will be nice?** ” Steven said, handing the new clean bowls off to Garnet to be put away.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Oh, if only it was that easy...** ” she sighed heavily. “ **My father actively tried to wipe them out. Froze their entire kingdom, and Zora’s don’t do so well with the cold...** ” she shook her head. “ **My main concern is that Zora’s are extremely long-lived. Like, they spend a century or so as children.** ”   
“ **Whoa...** ” Connie breathed. “ **Zora puberty must** ** _really_** **suck...** ” 

Pearl laughed. “ **Well, it would explain why they can be jerks...** ” she snickered. “ **But,** **they generally can live for a few centuries. I've even heard of some that celebrated their thousandth birthday... And they are** ** _very_** **adept at writing down their histories. There's a very strong chance that not only do they have a written history of my father’s crimes and my connection to him, but it’s recent enough in their history that they’re still incredibly angry. I... might be attacked once they realise who I am...** ” she sighed. “ **I can only hope that they’ve remained mostly separated from the rest of Hyrule, and don’t know that I’ve returned...** ”   
“ **Maybe they won’t recognise you.** ” Garnet shrugged.   
Pearl smiled faintly. “ **That would be good, but extremely unlikely. I guess I could play on their spirituality... They’re the race that worships the Goddesses the strongest. Well, along with their own patron god, Jabu-Jabu. Some sort of giant catfish, I don’t even know...** ” she shook her head. “ **If I state that the goddesses sent me specifically, and requested their cooperation, perhaps they’ll begrudgingly allow me to save their scaly fish-butts...** ”   
As the group burst into laughter, Pearl smiled and stood. “ **I’ll just leave you with that mental image, and go get ready.** ” 

Pearl returned wearing a strange black outfit and carrying an oddly shaped helmet.   
“ **Pearl, what the hell is that getup?!** ” Amethysts snickered.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Rubber** **armor** **. The Zora’s Domain is covered by a magical storm, likely caused by their Divine Beast. This will prevent me from being hurt by lightning strikes. Not an experience I want to repeat...** ” she muttered. Taking a sword from her bag, they watched as it crackled with energy. “ **Connie, hit me with the flat of this.** ” she handed the sword over before she reached up and placed the helmet on her head. “ **Okay, go for it.** ”   
Connie nodded and placing the flat of the sword against Pearl’s leg. They watched as the electricity crackled harmlessly against the rubbery material and dissipated.   
Pearl nodded, reaching down and taking the now inactive sword and slipping it into her bag. “ **See? Lightning proof. I wish I had remembered to upgrade this lot before I tried to get into** **Naboris** **...** ” she sighed. “ **It would have made things a** ** _lot_** **easier... But I did remember before fighting the Blight, which was good, because it had lightning attacks. This getup saved my buns from being baked.** ”   
As the group dissolved into laughter again, Pearl smirked. “ **Anyway, if it turns out that I don’t need electrical resistance, I can always swap out for something more appropriate.** ” she shrugged. “ **Besides, the helmet covers my hair, so at first glance, they hopefully won’t suspect that I’m a Gerudo.** ” 

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Pearl sighed as she arrived at the shrine in the early morning light. Ahead, two Lizalfos, turned and stared at her, jabbering angrily. Pearl frowned and grabbed a scimitar, dashing towards the first one and hitting it with two quick strikes. The second ran up towards her, circling around, and she quickly spun and delivered another two quick blows. Sighing, she sheathed the scimitar and collected the scattered items.   
“ **Well, that was an auspicious start...** ” she mumbled, turning towards the distant glowing orange tower. 

Veering around the edge of the ruins, she took a quick photo of the circling electric Wizzrobe before slipping over to open the wooden chest. ‘ _Someone was in a hurry... But I guess the apocalypse is a good enough reason to leave fifty rupees behind..._ ’ she mused, quietly pocketing it and slipping away.   
Crossing over some more wooden bridges, she paused to shoot down a small clay pot that was hanging from a tree, collecting the Korok seed before she continued across more bridges, half-sunk into the marsh. She veered to the left, her eyes gazing over the monster outpost. “ **Hmm... Might be some useful weapons, or maybe treasure?** ” she shrugged. “ **I guess I can give it a shot.** ” 

Pearl sighed as she dropped the now broken scimitar. “ **Okay, I think that’s all of the Lizalfos.** ” she muttered, looking around the area. “ **Now for some looting.** ” 

As she walked along the wooden walkway towards the firm land, a voice called out < ** _Oh, there’s one_**!>   
Pearl paused and looked around. “ **Huh?** ”   
< ** _Here! Over here!_** >   
She looked over the edge to see a Zora floating on the water below. “ **Oh no...** ”   
< ** _Oh! Hey! This is the first time I’ve seen one!_** > the Zora called out. < ** _I’m_** ** _Tottika_** ** _of the Zora! Aren’t you... a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Sorta_** ** _..._** > she answered, glad that the helmet covered up her orange hair.   
< ** _You ARE, aren’t you?! Yes, I can tell! You are most certainly a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _! As fate would have it, our Prince Sidon is looking for a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _like you. The prince is at_** ** _Inogo_** ** _Bridge right now. Will you consent to go and see him? I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to..._** >   
Pearl shrugged again. < ** _Well, I might be heading that way, so..._** >   
< ** _Hm, yes! It is decided! You will indeed go and see the prince, even if you don’t really want to!_** >   
Pearl sighed as the Zora pointed down the path. “ **I love having a choice in these matters...** ”   
< ** _Prince Sidon is at_** ** _Inogo_** ** _Bridge, just over there! He is upstream on the Zora River, which lies to the east of here. You will find him near that tower!_** > the Zora turned back towards her. < ** _Hylian_** ** _! I am counting on you!_** >   
Leaving the wooden walkways, she turned to the right towards the large rib bones and the tower. “ **Damned** **Zoras** **... I’m planning on helping you anyway, why are you so pushy?** ” 

Gliding across the river, she reached the opposite shore with ease and started scrambling up. Veering away from the Moblins and Bokoblins, she spotted a long ladder reaching up to a platform. “ **I can glide from there.** ” she nodded, dashing towards it.   
At the top of the ladder, she glanced down. “ **Huh. A shrine down there. I can glide down there after activating this tower...** ” Hopping over and gliding the short distance, she reached the base of the tower and looked up. “ **Huh... This was easier than I expected... The rain started much earlier last time I tried to reach it...** ” she looked towards the darkening sky. “ **I’d better start climbing though...** ”   
As she reached the top of the tower she sighed, she looked around. “ **Ah, great...** ” she groaned, looking at the bright red sphere above. “ **Another blood moon. Well, at least I can get that out of the way before taking on anything major.** ” she muttered as she went to activate the tower. “ **On the plus side, this is the last tower... So I should have a full map of Hyrule now.** ” 


	58. A Talk About Fish Jesus?

Pearl looked down at the shrine far below and nodded. “ **Yeah, should be easy to reach.** ” she glanced at the Zora nearby. < ** _Hope you find a way down soon._** >   
< ** _As do I,_** ** _Hylian_** ** _._** > he sighed.   
< ** _I mean, you can try climbing down the lattice over there that I climbed up, but that’s just what I’d do..._** > she shrugged, taking out the glider.   
As Pearl jumped, she saw the Zora turn and rush over to the gap in the floor. ‘ _What a dope..._ ’ 

As Pearl left the shrine, she sighed. “ **Oh sure, now the rain starts...** ” she muttered. “ **Ugh, fine. I guess I’d better find this Sidon guy...** ” she looked over at the bridge. “ **That might be him there...** ” she squinted through the rain at the left tower. 

< ** _Say, hey there! Young one!_** > the Zora above called down.   
Pearl sighed and looked up, using one hand to shield her eyes from the rain.   
Suddenly, with a series of somersaults, the Zora jumped down, landing on the ground before her. Straightening, he looked at her. < ** _Pardon the entrance, but you’re a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _, aren’t you?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Yeah, sure._** >   
< ** _I was hoping perhaps you’d have a moment to talk..._** > he stretched his arms out.   
“ **About fish Jesus?** ” Pearl snarked under her breath. “ **Sorry, I have enough deities demanding things from me...** ” 

Sidon paused, looking at her. < ** _I am Sidon, the Zora prince!_** > he struck a pose and grinned, and Pearl sighed. < ** _And what is your name?_** >   
Pearl hesitated. ‘ _Should I...?_ ’   
< ** _Go on, please tell me!_** >   
< ** _...Pearl..._** > she said with a sigh.   
Sidon smiled. < ** _Pearl? Your name is Pearl? What a fantastic name!_** > he grinned. < ** _Hmm, though I cannot shake the feeling that I have heard it somewhere before... Well, in any case, it is a strong name!_** >   
Pearl sighed. ‘ _Oh_ _my stars... He’s a bloody idiot..._ ’ she shook her head. < ** _Thanks._** >   
Sidon nodded. < ** _To be honest, I’ve been watching you. I've seen the way you work. I can tell by how you carry yourself that you are no ordinary person._** > he grinned. < ** _Pearl! You must be a strong warrior among the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _, correct?_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Well, I have saved countless lives recently..._** >   
< ** _Aha! Just as I suspected! I am a Zora prince, after all. I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled!_** >   
‘ _Words escape me..._ ’ Pearl sighed. 

< ** _Yes! Exquisite! I have been searching for someone like you for a long while. A_** ** _Hylian_** ** _like you, Pearl, who carries themselves with power! Right now, Zora’s Domain is in grave danger because of the massive rainfall coming from Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _! Please, promise you will help us! We need your strength, warrior! Won't you please come to Zora’s Domain with me!_** >   
Pearl sighed and nodded. < ** _I was heading there anyway, so sure._** >   
Sidon laugh happily. < ** _Wow! Really?! Thank you, Pearl! You are indeed the hero I thought you were! Now Zora’s Domain will be saved for certain! No time to waste! Hurry up and head on over!_** > he pointed along the path. < ** _Because of the rain, the cliffs are too wet to climb. To reach the domain, you will need to go straight along this path. As a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _, I know you are unable to swim up the river. As such, the path to the domain may be a bit treacherous. You likely have a tough fight in store—there are monsters up ahead that attack with electricity._** >   
Pearl tapped her armor. < ** _Got it covered. Shock-proofed._** >   
Sidon grinned widely. < ** _Excellent! I shall go on ahead and make sure there is not anything strange going on where you are headed. I'm counting on you!_** > Backflipping, he somersaulted into the river and swam off.   
Pearl sighed. “ **So, the Zora’s have a somersaulting idiot for a prince, and are so desperate for any random** **Hylian** **to help that they’ve sent out an entire search party... Yep, this is going to be a day...** ” she shook her head and started along the path. “ **On the plus side, looks like I picked the right outfit...** ” 

Pearl paused, taking out the slate. “ **Hang on a second...** ” she examined the map for a moment. “ **Huh. If I go back to the tower and glide over the** **Tabahl** **Woods, I can cut out a fair number of switchbacks...** ” she looked back towards the tower. “ **Yeah, that’s the plan.** ” she selected the tower. 

On the tower, she paused to place a beacon on the map. “ **Okay, if I use** **Revali’s** **Gale, I can get some decent height, and maybe reach beyond the... Bank of Wishes? Huh. Wonder what that’s about?** ” shrugging, she put the slate away and stepped towards the edge. “ **Eh, whatever.** ” 

In the air, she veered towards a rocky outcrop to her right as it started to rain. Around, she could see lightning flash, and as she landed, she looked up nervously. “ **Well, I guess I’m going to see if this** **armor** **works on lightning from magical storms...** ” she muttered, glancing at her metallic shield. When the lightning bolt struck, Pearl watched the sparks dance harmlessly across the surface of the armor and grinned. “ **Ha!** **Whoo** **!** ” she called. “ **Okay, let’s do this!** ” she jumped from the outcrop towards the river below. 

Landing on the other side of the river, she paused as a boulder blocked the path ahead. Shrugging, she quickly scrambled over it, the wet surface slick beneath her hands.   
Around the corner, she paused, slipping into a crouch as she observed the Lizalfos outpost ahead. ‘ _Hmm... Well, Sidon did say that they attack with electricity..._ _So,_ _I should be immune. Slash, bash and loot._ ’ she nodded, quietly drawing a sword. 

“ **Huh... Only one** **Lizalfos** **? That was actually** **kinda** **disappointing. Oh well.** ”   
Walking on, she paused, looking at the blue wall of writing ahead. “ **Ah, Zora writing... Wish father had bothered to teach it to me.** ” she sighed. Glancing towards the path, she grinned. “ **Okay, there’s the rest of them. Come here, you!** ” she called towards the Lizalfos, her sword already drawn. 

Pearl sighed as she pocketed the silver rupee and looked over the selection of dropped weapons. “ **Okay, bloodlust sated... for now...** ” she hummed as she walked back towards the path. “ **Looks like I’m nearly there too.** ”   
< ** _Hey! Pearl!_** >   
She looked around; her eyes wide.   
< ** _Look below! Down here!_** >   
Pearl moved to the edge of the bridge and looked over the railing. “ **Oh, Sidon. Wait, how’d he even** ** _know_** **that I was up here already?** ”   
Sidon waved at her from the river far below. < ** _You are still pretty far off, my friend! But I was sure you’d be passing over this bridge, so I have been waiting for you. You will be in Zora’s Domain before you know it! In fact, I'm going to head that way too! I shall meet you there!_** > he looked to the side. < ** _Whoa! Pearl!! Beware, warrior! A monster_** ** _approaches_** ** _from behind you!_** >

Pearl spun around, one hand grabbing for her sword. The Moblin advanced, and Pearl quickly lunged, darting under its giant club and slashing away furiously. After three strikes, it fell with a faint gurgle, and Pearl sighed. “ **I’ll have to thank Sidon for that later...** ”   
As she continued along the path, she grabbed a few mushrooms, her eyes darting around nervously for attacks. “ **This part’s pretty quiet...** ”   
She scrambled over a rock and ran ahead, outpacing the Wizzrobe easily. “ **Okay, I spoke too soon.** ” she grumbled. 

Looking down over the land below, she saw a strange glowing red pillar sticking from the lake below, a spout of water gashing strongly up out of it. “ **What that hell is that?!** ” she muttered, taking out the slate and using the scope. “ **Hmm... The Divine Beast, maybe?** ” she shrugged. “ **I guess I’ll find out eventually.** ”   
Jumping on her shield, she slid down the wet grass, quickly picking up speed. Veering, she darted around the Moblin, turning the corner out of sight before it could even pick up its weapon. She sped around another corner, finally spotting a narrow land-bridge ahead. Jumping off the shield, she grinned. “ **Okay, that was fun. This rain’s good for something, at least...** ”   
Standing near the bridge, she looked out across the lake below. “ **And that’s the Zora’s Domain. Nearly there.** ” she glanced up at the darkening sky. “ **And in good time, too**.”   
Walking along the long bridge, she glanced up at the arches above. “ **Fancy... And there’s a shrine, good.** ” she added as her slate started to beep. 

Sidon spotted her on the bridge and ran over, grinning. < ** _Whoa! I’ve been waiting for you, Pearl! Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain! Now I shall introduce you to the king. Hurry, this way!_** > he turned and moved towards the largest sculpture.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Shrine first, buddy.** ”   
Walking towards the red light glowing in the distance, Pearl paused near a large statue of a Zora woman. “ **Huh. Either a past princess or their Champion...** ” she mused, walking past it to the shrine beyond. Turning, she quickly snapped a photo of a Zora before she opened the shrine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	59. Capture

“ **Okay guys. Just so you know, the Zora's Domain is stuck in perpetual rain, because of the Divine Beast.** **So** **it’s going to be cold and wet. You sure you still want to come?** ”   
Steven nodded enthusiastically as he shrugged on his backpack. “ **Yeah! I** **wanna** **see a Zora!** ”   
Pearl sighed. “ **Well, here’s a picture of one, just so you know what to expect.** ” she showed them the slate.   
Steven covered his eyes. “ **They don’t wear clothes?** ” he whispered, blushing.   
Pearl laughed. “ **Nope, except a small pieces of** **armor** **here and there. To be fair, they don’t really have anything worth looking at anyway.** ” she rolled her eyes. “ **Apparently, not even to other** **Zoras** **...** ” she switched to the map screen. “ **They can also be a bit rude to outsiders, too. But to be fair, most of Hyrule’s races do that.** ” she shrugged. “ **I mean, you’ve met my people. You know, the ones that refuse to allow men into** **town?** ” she smirked. “ **So, still want to come?** ”   
They gathered around her, placing their hands on her shoulders and arms. “ **Let’s go already...** ” Amethyst grumbled. 

Pearl splashed away from the shrine platform. “ **Okay, I haven’t really looked around here yet, so stick close. I need to speak to the Zora king about the Divine Beast. His son, Sidon, has already gone ahead to introduce me. Presumably, he’s assumed that I’ve gone to get some sleep or something.** ” she shrugged. “ **I think I have to go... up above the shrine. Right, follow me.** ” 

As they walked, the group stared, fascinated at the Zora moving around. The Zora gave them a few curious glances, but shrugged and continued with their own work.   
As they moved up the curving and wet staircase, they spotted an older-looking Zora repeatedly touching a sparking arrow, pulling his hand back quickly with a shriek. Panting, he paused. < ** _Lady_** ** _Mipha_** ** _! Watch this!_** > he muttered. < ** _I,_** ** _Seggin_** ** _, the aptly name Demon_** ** _Sergeant_** ** _, shall strike down the Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _!_** >   
Pearl sighed. “ **Must be the local weirdo... Come on. Leave him to his** ** _fun_** **...** ” 

Near another flight of stairs, they spotted a small goddess statue.   
“ **Oh, I’d better trade some orbs while I’m here.** ” Pearl muttered, stepping towards it.   
Garnet nodded. “ **Good. We want you as strong as possible.** ”   
After the large red heart-shaped container had settled in her chest, Pearl sighed. “ **Okay, now I’m ready. Here’s hoping they’re all as daft as Sidon...** ” she added with a mutter. 

Pearl nervously approached the podium in front of the king, glancing back at the group. < ** _Greetings, your ma-_** >   
Suddenly, two Zora pounced, grabbing her arms and restraining her.   
“ **Pearl!** ” Steven called, more guards approaching and levelling their spears to keep them back.   
< ** _Hey! What’s the big idea?! I came_** ** _here_** ** _to help you!_** > Pearl yelled, squirming.   
< ** _Pearl of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. Long have we waited for this moment._** > an older Zora cackled nearby. 

< ** _Muzu_** ** _? What is the meaning of this?_** > Sidon asked, confused.   
Muzu cackled. < ** _When you told me that the beast’s daughter was coming, I had to do something. Now, we can finally have our revenge._** >   
Sidon looked up at the king. < ** _Father? What is he talking about?_** >   
King Dorephan sighed heavily. < ** _It was many, many thousands of years ago. A monstrous_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _, called_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _, gained control over the land of Hyrule. He intended to wipe out our people. We we’re only saved by a young_** ** _Hylian_** ** _man._** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _eventually became the monster we always knew him to be. Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >   
Pearl shifted uncomfortably as a Zora removed her rubber helm, revealing her orange hair.   
< ** _It was written in the_** ** _histories_** ** _that_** ** _Ganondorf_** ** _had a daughter, called Pearl._** >

Sidon looked at her curiously. < ** _Well, okay... she’s a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _... But father, she willingly came here to help us._** >   
Muzu scoffed. < ** _Wake up, boy! She's a_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _. And half-_** ** _Hylian_** ** _..._** > he muttered. < ** _By her very nature, she cannot be trusted._** >   
< ** _You’re wrong!_** > Connie called. < ** _She’s only here to help stop_** ** _Ganon_** ** _!_** >   
Steven sniffed. < ** _Yeah! She’s helped the Rito, and the_** ** _Gorons_** ** _and the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _already, and so many other people!_** >   
< ** _Quiet, hatchlings!_** > Muzu shouted. < ** _As if I would believe the dishonest words of_** ** _Hylians_** ** _, no matter how young._** >   
< ** _Silence!_** >

They looked up at King Dorephan.   
< ** _Father?_** > Sidon asked. < ** _If she can help us, shouldn’t she be given the chance?_** >   
Muzu opened his mouth to complain, but King Dorephan raised a hand, silencing him.   
Dorephan looked down at Pearl. < ** _Some time ago, I received a letter by messenger from_** ** _Impa_** ** _of the Sheikah. She wrote that you have been returned to Hyrule via the actions of the Goddesses, and had been tasked with removing Ganon’s control over the Divine Beasts. Is this the truth?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _If one of your guards can remove the glove from my right hand, you will see the_** ** _Triforce_** ** _of Courage that_** ** _Farore_** ** _gave me._** >   
Dorephan nodded at her guards, and one reached and slipped the glove off. He manoeuvred her arm around to reveal the glowing triangle on the back of her hand.   
< ** _Tch! We all know how_** ** _Gerudo’s_** ** _are... She probably stole it..._** > Muzu muttered dismissively. 

Sidon glanced at Pearl. < ** _Father, the others who went with me to find help. They have told me that there are beams coming from the lands of the Rito,_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _and_** ** _Gorons_** ** _, but none from our lands._** > he looked at Pearl. < ** _Are they from the other Divine Beasts?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yes. I got inside them, fought the Blights that had control of them and freed them. Spoke with the spirits of the Champions, and was granted some abilities._** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection._** ** _Revali’s_** ** _Gale._** ** _Urbosa’s_** ** _Fury. The Divine Beasts then moved into position and are taking aim at_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >   
< ** _Ridiculous!_** > Muzu scoffed. < ** _You’re not even a Champion, and_** **certainly** ** _don’t have the blood of one. It’s_** **impossible** ** _for you to have entered the beasts._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _According to the goddesses, I'm related to the hero’s bloodline. Check the sword on my back. Careful though. It's the Master Sword, and can only be wielded by someone the sword has chosen. If it doesn’t like you, it’ll kill you._** >

The guards turned her around, presenting the view of her sword to the King. One nervously drew the sword partly out of its sheath to reveal the Triforce symbol etched into the surface of the blade.   
King Dorephan nodded. < ** _If I was to send a messenger to the other lands, what would they tell me?_** >   
< ** _That Pearl saved them!_** > Connie called.   
Steven nodded. < ** _She freed the beasts, stopped their rampage and protected people!_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _I swear to you. I am only here to stop the Divine Beast, end this downpour and free the spirit of your Champion._** >   
King Dorephan held up a hand, stopping Muzu’s retort. < ** _I must think on this matter. You are confined to the inn until I have made a decision. Your family may roam the Domain freely, but must abide by our rules. Guards, escort them to the inn._** >

As Pearl settled on the bed, she rubbed her arms where she had been held. “ **Ugh, I knew they’d remember me...** ” she sighed.   
“ **Are you hurt?** ” Steven asked quietly.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **No. Just getting circulation back, that’s all. Zora** **have** **a** ** _hell_** **of a grip...** ”   
Amethyst sat beside her with a huff. “ **Dude, let’s just warp** **outta** **here. It's not like they can stop us from doing that.** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **No. I have to take care of that Beast. And if I run away, that** **Muzu** **guy will take it as a sign of clear guilt. There'd be no coming back here.** ”   
Amethyst nuzzled into her. “ **But,** **what if they decide to kill you?** ” she whispered.   
“ ** _Then_** **we can warp away.** ” Peal sighed, putting an arm around her. “ **Sidon seems to believe that I want to help... Maybe he’ll will agree to meet up at the Beast and help me get in?** ”   
“ **Maybe you can stop the Beast without their help...** ” Garnet mused, sitting down beside the kids on the other bed.   
“ **Probably not...** ” Pearl sighed. “ **Every other Divine Beast needed the help of someone. I couldn’t get into Vah** **Medoh** **without a Rito to fly me up there. Vah** **Rudania** **needed** **Yunobo** **,** **Daruk’s** **descendant, to get the Beast to hold still long enough for me to enter. And Riju had to help me enter Vah** **Naboris** **by deflecting its lighting with the Thunder Helm. The odds are, getting into this Beast will require swimming fast. I’ll** ** _need_** **a Zora to help me here.** ” 

Connie looked around. “ **Do you need us to look around, check things out?** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah.** **Uhh** **... Here.** ” she reached and removed the holster for the slate from her waist. “ **Take the slate. I don’t think it’s locked to me, so you should be able to use it. If you see any chests or anything in the water down there, see if you can grab them with Magnesis. If they’re floating, use Cryonis. If anyone gives you trouble... hit ‘em with Stasis and move away from them. Try not to blow anything up though...** ”   
Connie eagerly strapped the holster to her waist. “ **Okay. Steven? You coming?** ”   
He nodded and grabbed his backpack. “ **Yeah.** ”   
“ **Stay within the area of the Domain. I don’t know what they’ll do if you try to leave...** ” Pearl sighed. “ **Plus, I don’t know what kind of monsters are native around here, apart from Electric** **Lizalfos** **. And you’re not shock-proof.** ” 

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Connie and Steven wandered outside the inn, nervously walking past the guards.   
Connie pointed to the ramp to their right. “ **Hmm... Let’s start there.** ”   
“ **Okay.** ” Steven nodded. 

Once they had finished the loop of the ramps, they wandered away from the throne room.   
“ **Wow! That’s a long bridge!** ” Steven exclaimed, nervously looking over the side.   
Connie nodded. “ **Yeah... I wonder if there’s a way down there?** ” she wandered over to a gap on the bridge’s side. “ **Ah! Yes, Steven we can get down here.** ” 

At the bottom of the ladder, they looked around the lake below the Zora’s Domain.   
“ **Okay...** **Magnesis** **rune... wow, that’s so cool...** ” Connie murmured.   
“ **So, what’s the plan?** ” Steven asked.   
Connie looked around. “ **Hmm... How about we circle around, and I’ll see if I can find anything metal in the water. You make sure I don’t trip on anything, or fall in, while I’m staring at the screen.** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Yeah!** ” 

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Steven lifted the lid of the wooden chest. “ **Whoa!** ” he held up a silver rupee. “ **Pearl’s** **gonna** **be so happy!** ”   
Connie laughed. “ **Yeah. Especially with these spears.** ” she looked around. “ **Oh! We’re almost back at the ladder. And it’s pretty dark. Let's head back, show Pearl what we’ve found.** ” 

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“ **I still say we sick** **Nanafua** **on ‘** **em** **. Fish stew pizza,** **hehehe** **...** ” Amethyst rubbed her hands together gleefully.   
Pearl snorted. “ **Amethyst! That’s terrible. Their meat would be too tough.** ” she added.   
Garnet laughed. “ **You two are made for each other...** ” she grinned as they blushed.   
“ **Oh, hey look. The kids are back. Let's all shut up and listen to them...** ” Amethyst said, hiding her blushing face.   
Pearl laughed. “ **Hey kids. What’d you find?** ”   
Steven opened his backpack. “ **Heaps!** ”   
“ **Yeah, we found... two spears-** ” Connie paused to remove them from her back, leaning them against the wall. “ **-a couple of bundles of arrows, fire and ice, an amber, an opal, a silver bow-** ” she pulled it from her back. “ **-another sledgehammer.** ”   
Steven waited as Garnet lifted it from his back, sighing with relief. “ **Thanks, that’s heavy...** ”   
“ **We also found this.** ” Connie reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver rupee. 

Pearl looked over the loot strewn on the floor. “ **Wow, you kids found a lot of stuff. Let's see... Hmm, well, I'll definitely take the two gems-** ” she reached out and grabbed them, dropping them into her bag. “ **-and the arrows. I always need more arrows, but the magical ones can be so damned expensive... Let’s see, what else?** ” she examined the bow, twanging the string expertly. “ **Hmm, I think I’ve got stronger ones than this... It’s pretty nice, though.** ” she glanced at Connie. “ **Wanna** **learn how to use one?** ”   
Connie nodded frantically. “ **Yes!** ”   
Pearl laughed. “ **Well, regardless of what happens here, after this dungeon, I'll take some time off to teach you. In the meantime, you can hold onto this.** ” she handed the bow back, and Connie eagerly slung it onto her back. Pearl looked at the two spears. “ **I’ve honestly got stronger ones, so how about you guys hold onto these too? That way, you don’t need to get up close and personal with any monsters. Spears are pretty useful against Keese too, so you can use them when going between** **Hateno** **and the hot spring.** ”   
Garnet tapped the sledgehammer. “ **I’m keeping this.** ”   
“ **Nuh** **-uh!** ” Amethyst jumped up. “ **You’ve got a smasher already, let me have this one!** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Guys... There are sledgehammers back at the house in** **Hateno** **. I've already quietly grabbed a new one from there, and it was replaced at the next blood** **moon** **. There is** ** _literally_** **no reason to fight over this.** ” she reached out, grabbing the sledgehammer. “ **Besides, it’s mine. I broke my last one yesterday.** ” she shoved it into her bag quickly, poking her tongue out. 

“ **What about this?** ” Connie asked, holding out the silver rupee.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **You kids found it, so... How about you pop over to the store over there, see if you can grab yourselves some food items to cook up later. Or save it until we get back to** **Hateno** **.** ”   
Connie grinned. “ **I’ll go check the store!** ” she darted off, Steven in pursuit.   
Pearl chuckled. “ **Those kids, I swear...** ”   
“ **I know.** ” Garnet grinned. “ **Too adorable for their own good.** ”   
Amethyst snorted. “ **Please. I think we all know that they’re too adorable for** ** _our_** **own good.** ” 


	60. Shocking Behaviour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this, we're three quarters of the way through the fic!

**_Early the following morning..._ **

< ** _Gerudo_** ** _!_** > The Zora guard stood. < ** _The King wishes to see you._** >   
Pearl nodded and stood. < ** _Okay._** > “ **Connie, stay close to everyone. If they say anything about execution, Garnet can grab me and you can warp us** **outta** **this dump...** ” she whispered as they started to walk. “ **Go to the map screen, select the blue dot in** **Hateno** **Village, and we’ll end up back at the shrine.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Got it.** ” 

< ** _Pearl of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** > Dorephan looked down on her. < ** _I have thought about this situation. It requires weighing the needs of my people and the needs of Hyrule with the needs of the past._** > he glanced at Muzu. < ** _As such, my word is law. Whatever my decision, all must abide by it._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I understand._** >   
Dorephan sighed. < ** _The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta’s_** ** _cursed rain has almost filled the great dam. Soon, it will burst, flooding not only our lands, but those of the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _. We alone cannot stop this beast. We require the help of someone who is shock-proof to stop the Beast. This is bigger than all of us. Zora and_** ** _Hylians_** ** _alike, yes,_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _too, must put aside our differences and band together. We accept your help, young_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _._** >   
Muzu spluttered. < ** _My Liege, you cannot-_** >   
< ** _Silence,_** ** _Muzu_** ** _!_** > Dorephan glared. < ** _Your distrust of the_** ** _Hylians_** ** _has been duly noted. She was sent by the Goddesses to help us. Would you have me refuse the wishes of a Goddess?_** >

As Muzu storm away angrily, Dorephan sighed. < ** _Forgive_** ** _Muzu_** ** _. He has always been distrustful of_** ** _Hylians_** ** _,_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _... indeed, any people that is not our own._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _In the world I’ve been living in, they call someone like him, who prefers his own race and places it above others, a racist. They're usually not nice people._** >   
Dorephan nodded. < ** _Hmm... I should explain the situation with our Divine Beast. I must inform you that Zora’s Domain is in danger of vanishing because of Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _. I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. Will you lend us your strength?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Of course. It’s what I came here to do._** >

Dorephan sighed. < ** _Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _has great power. It has the ability to create an endless supply of water. Of late it has been mercilessly spouting water into the air. As a result, this area has been plagued by heavy rains. For us Zora, water and air are as one, so you would not think this would be quite so critical of a problem. Sadly, the rains have filled the eastern reservoir nearly to the point of flooding. If the reservoir bursts, as it soon will, I fear immense damage will befall not only Zora’s Domain... but also the area downstream from us. There,_** ** _Hylian_** ** _lives are in very grave danger._** >   
Pearl nodded gravely. < ** _This is serious._** >   
A roar filled the air, and they turned their heads towards the sound.   
< ** _Hmm... the Divine Beast is crying yet again..._** > Dorephan sighed. 

Dorephan shook his head. < ** _The Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _... The princess, Zelda, often studied the Divine Beasts. That is, in the time before the Great Calamity. According to her research, the orbs located on_** ** _Ruta’s_** ** _shoulders... are mechanisms that can control the water it generates. However, they require electricity to work. These orbs are clearly out of control now because there is no electricity coursing through to stop them._** >   
Sidon spoke up. < ** _Seggin_** ** _, who is quite shock-resistant for a Zora, hit one with a shock arrow. Sure enough, it slowed the water a bit. Unfortunately, as an aquatic race, we Zora are terribly vulnerable to the power of electricity. Perhaps because we could not safely strike it with enough electricity at once, the water soon returned to its full force._** > he struck a pose. < ** _That is why I went in search of a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _who could help us!_** > he sighed. < ** _Pearl, I am certain you have already figured this out, but... We need you to use shock arrows to get those orbs working properly again! I will aid you in any way I can, of course. Please, Pearl... I beg of you. Help me stop_** ** _Ruta’s_** ** _rampage of destruction!_** >   
Pearl nodded, reaching into her bag and drawing out a bundle of shock arrows. The Zora’s eye widened as the sparks danced across her hand, her eyes never leaving them. < ** _This_** ** _armor_** ** _makes me completely shock-proof. I can get the job done, easily._** >

Dorephan nodded. < ** _The events of one hundred years ago cannot be altered. But if we can regain control of the Divine Beasts... they can yet prove useful in sealing Calamity_** ** _Ganon_** ** _once and for all!_** >   
Sidon glanced at Pearl. < ** _And you are okay with fighting your-_** >   
Pearl stared at him. < ** _That_** **thing** ** _is_** **not** ** _my father. It’s what’s left of the demon that possessed him, nothing more. Listen, I am merely paving the way for Link to return and fight him. I shall hand over all_** ** _armor_** ** _and weapons to him at that time. But if I have to fight it... I will._** >   
Sidon nodded. < ** _Naturally, I shall help too! Once the Divine Beast has stopped rampaging, you can easily climb inside it. Come, Pearl! Let us appease_** ** _Ruta_** ** _together!_** >   
< ** _I’m in._** > Pearl smirked. < ** _Let’s do this!_** >

Dorephan looked down at them. < ** _Our goal is the same. That means our meeting was nothing short of destiny. Now then, allow me to offer you this gift as a show of faith._** > he held out his hand, allowing Pearl to take the bundle of armor.   
She examined it, glancing up at Dorephan.   
<S ** _o long as you wear this, you can ascend waterfalls just like a Zora. Please, take good care of it._** >   
< ** _KING DOREPHAN?!_** >

They turned to see Muzu had retuned, standing nearby looking **scandalised**. < ** _Surely you do not intend to give this... outsider the Zora_** ** _armor_** ** _?! Countless generations of Zora princesses have gifted that_** ** _armor_** ** _to the one they have sworn to marry! Princess_** ** _Mipha_** ** _made that one there with her own hands! It is far too important to entrust to a shady_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _!_** > he glared over at Pearl. < ** _She may or may not have been able to enter the Divine Beasts, but she is no Champion. And she_** **certainly** ** _had no such relationship with_** ** _Mipha_** ** _. So why should SHE receive such an honour?! This is just too much, my liege..._** > he shook his head, turning and walking away.   
Dorephan grunted. < ** _Hmph. That_** ** _Muzu_** ** _is not easily swayed once his mind is set. You must understand... He was in charge of educating my dear daughter,_** ** _Mipha_** ** _. Naturally, she means a lot to him... just as she means the world to us. Ever since we lost her to the Calamity, he has grown to despise_** ** _Hylians_** ** _. I hope you can forgive his rudeness._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _I have suffered loss too, and perhaps acted less than ideally as a result._** > she glanced back at Steven with a sad smile. < ** _As long as he doesn’t attempt to hurt anybody that I care about, I can ignore his behaviour._** >

Dorephan sighed. < ** _What shall we do now? I tasked_** ** _Muzu_** ** _with finding the shock arrows we will need to appease Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _. But now he has rushed off in a huff..._** >   
Sidon nodded. < ** _Pearl! Do not let his words concern you. I will work this out with_** ** _Muzu_** ** _. I shall return shortly!_** > Sidon jogged off, searching for the cranky older Zora.   
Dorephan sighed heavily. < ** _Sidon... I suppose that means that you are going to tell him..._** > he muttered sadly under his breath. Noticing Pearl’s raised eyebrow, he sighed again. < ** _Mipha_** ** _, my daughter... was in love with Link. She made that_** ** _armor_** ** _for him, and him alone._** >   
Pearl glanced down at the armor still in her arms. < ** _Oh._** ** _Uhhh_** ** _... Are you sure you want me to use this?_** >   
Dorephan nodded. < ** _Yes. You will eventually give it to Link himself, yes?_** >   
< ** _Yes. Along with the slate, sword and all the_** ** _armor_** ** _I’ve collected._** >   
Dorephan sat back. < ** _Then she will be happy._** >

Sidon returned walking slowly, as if he was thinking something over. < ** _Muzu_** ** _has told me where to find the shock arrows._** > he pointed up towards the distant mountain. < ** _That tall mountain is called_** ** _Ploymus_** ** _Mountain, and there you will also find_** ** _Shatterback_** ** _Point. A terrifying creature has made its home up there. This awful beast shoots volley after volley of shock arrows. Even a single one could be fatal to a Zora._** > he turned back to Pearl. < ** _The creature is called a_** ** _Lynel_** ** _. He is a man-beast, that one!_** >   
Pearl groaned. < ** _Ugh, not a_** ** _Lynel_** ** _... I hate those things..._** >   
Sidon nodded. < ** _That beast does indeed wield shock arrows. That is certainly one way to collect them quickly. He is vicious, to be sure. But I am certain that Pearl will rise to the challenge._** >   
“ **Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice...** ” Pearl muttered. < ** _I don’t have many of these arrows on me, so I have no choice but to go up there._** >   
Sidon pointed back towards the mountain. < ** _Pearl... I will be waiting for you at East Reservoir Lake, right by the Divine Beast. When you are ready, come join me there!_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _I’ll be there, Sidon._** >   
Sidon grinned. < ** _Wonderful! Together we shall stop that Divine Beast’s onslaught!_** >

As Sidon jogged off towards the mountains, Pearl sighed and rejoined the others. “ **Well, on the plus side, they don’t want to kill me anymore... Well, except for that one guy...** ”   
“ **Muzu’s** **a racist...** ” Connie huffed, crossing her arms.   
Pearl nodded. “ **Yeah. But that’s why we shouldn’t pay any attention to his words. People like that just want to make others feel bad, and themselves feel superior. Ignoring them hurts them more than anything.** ”   
“ **Yeah. Meanwhile, every time prince-boy struck a pose, all those girls behind us squealed.** ” Amethyst poked a thumb towards the stairs, where a small group of Zora had gathered. “ **Apparently, he’s hot stuff around here.** ”   
“ **Some kind of Zora stud.** ” Garnet smirked.   
Connie blushed. “ **Well, he does have some pretty good abs...** ”   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Sorry, too gay; can’t relate.** ” she smirked as they laughed. 

Pearl looked up at the darkening sky. “ **Hmm... Just wondering if I should get a head start towards the mountain now, or wait until morning...** ”   
“ **Well, we could stop for lunch first.** ” Steven shrugged. “ **I mean, it’s early, but I could eat before we go.** ”   
Pearl glanced down at him. “ **Uhh** **... Guys, you can’t come.** ”   
“ **Awww** **... not even a little way?** ” Amethyst begged.   
Pearl shook her head. “ **There’s a** **Lynel** **. Those things are made of pure murder! Not to mention, their aim is impeccable. I'd prefer knowing that you guys are safe back here, and not running around a soaking wet mountainside dodging arrows from a mutant man-lion centaur...** ” she sighed. “ **We can have lunch first, so I can be fuelled up for whatever happens up there, but at first light, I need to head out.** ”   
“ **Ugh, fine...** ” Amethyst grunted. “ **Grilled fish with rice alright?** ”   
Pearl gave her a kiss. “ **Sounds lovely.** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	61. Why You Always Lynel?

Pearl sighed as she shrugged the armor on. “ **Hmm... Doesn’t fit all that well, but to be fair, it wasn’t made for me.** ” she sighed.   
“ **Can that really let you climb waterfalls?** ” Steven asked excitedly as Connie handed the holster for the slate back.   
Pearl shrugged as she tightened the strap. “ **Apparently. I’d better test that before I go though, just to be sure.** ” she looked out from the inn. “ **Hmm... looks like there’s a waterfall over there...** ” 

< ** _Hey! It's you!_** > the Zora grinned at her. < ** _I managed to dive down from that tower safely. I appreciate the suggestion of climbing down, but the latticework hurt my hands, so..._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, that’s fair._** ” she held up her gloved hands. “ ** _That’s why I got these. Glad you made it down. Just checking that this_** ** _armor_** ** _can get me up waterfalls..._** > she pointed to the opening nearby, where water flowed freely down.   
He nodded. < ** _Congratulations on the new Zora_** ** _armor_** ** _. It is most impressive indeed. Wearing the Zora_** ** _armor_** ** _, even a_** ** _Hylian_** ** _like you can climb a waterfall and get back up here in no time at all. That said, if you don’t mind me asking, would you mind showing me your true colours as you dive into the water? You can dive headfirst from here into the water below! It would be true beauty made flesh! Please consider!_** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Alright._** > she tuned and dove off the balcony, arms stretched in front as she splashed into the water below. 

< ** _Blinding brightness!_** > The Zora shouted down to her. < ** _Radiant beauty!_** >   
Pearl rolled her eyes, swimming over to the base of the waterfall. Looking up, she took a breath and swam into the falls flow, kicking up.   
Rapidly, she swam up, gaining speed. At the top, she soared up into the air with once last kick, gliding back down to the balcony.   
“ **Pearl! That was awesome!** ” Steven grinned.   
“ **So cool.** ” Connie gasped.   
Amethysts’ eyes sparkled. “ **I think I actually got gayer watching that...** ”   
“ **Which is no easy feat for us...** ” Pearl smirked, then sighed. “ **That was pretty fun, actually. This'll make travelling around much easier.** ” she looked up at the rising sun. “ **Uh! I’d best get going. I’ll see you guys later.** ” she gave them each a hug and ran off. 

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Pearl reached the end of the bridge and turned to look towards the Domain. “ **Good, they’re not trying to follow me...** ” she sighed. She paused and checked her map, using one hand to shield the screen from the downpour. “ **Hmm... Yeah, I go this way, and up those falls...** ” she placed a beacon before she put the slate away. “ **Okay, time to dodge a** **Lynel** **...** ”   
Following the path, she reached a fork with a signpost. “ **Hmm... East Reservoir Lake is that way,** **Ploymus** **Moutain is to the left. Okay.** ” she nodded, turning left. 

Reaching a shallow lake, she looked up the towering wall above her. “ **Yikes... Glad I got this** **armor** **...** ” she sighed, walking over to the rock closest to the base of the falls.   
Diving in, she swam straight up the waterfall. At the top, she soared into the air and yanked out the glider, looking at the next fall. “ **Right, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem...** ” she muttered. Gliding directly towards it, she landed in the water at the base and immediately swam up.   
Landing on the solid ground above, she used the scope to examine the strange glowing wall nearby. “ **Ah, another one of the carved story walls. Eh, if they’re important, someone would mention them.** ”   
Jogging over to the smaller pond, she jumped over to the larger rock and looked up. “ **Okay, according to the map, this is the last waterfall before the** **Lynel** **. I just hope it’s not waiting right at the top for me...** ” she sighed. 

At the top of the falls, she immediately spotted two shock arrows sticking from a tree trunk. Nervously, she looked around for any sign of the Lynel before slipping over to them, pulling them out of the wood and shoving them into her bag. “ **Okay, that’s two down... another one over there...** ” she murmured.   
Following the line of trees, she found some more arrows before spotting another signpost. “ **Hmm...** **Shatterback** **Point this way... That must be where the** **Lynel** **hangs out. I’ve** **gotta** **be careful about this...** ” she breathed. “ **If it uses shock arrows, then I’d better switch back to the rubber** **armor** **...** ” 

Pearl waited until the beast was facing the other direction before she crept forwards towards the tree. Grabbing the arrow, she slipped over and jumped up, grabbing another arrow higher up a tree before she slipped behind a rock and peeked around it, seeing the Lynel walking back towards her. ‘ _Shit... okay, maybe it didn’t see me..._ ’ She peeked again, seeing the Lynel had drawn an arrow. ‘ _Well, of_ ** _course_** _it did._ ’ she sighed. Pushing away from the rock, she looked up, watching the arrow as it flew up into the air, trying to calculate its trajectory. Darting, she dodged it, the shock wave passing uselessly beneath her as sparks danced across the wet ground.   
Ahead, the Lynel was walking forwards.   
“ **Well, I’m screwed anyway.** ” Pearl sighed, drawing her bow. 

Letting an arrow fly, she nailed the beast in the chest. It shook itself off, putting away the bow and preparing to rush forwards towards her.   
Pearl moved away from the rock, running out of the way as the Lynel dashed past her, the water below flying up away from its hooves. Pearl quickly darted back, slamming her Ice Sword into the Lynels side. Gasping, she ran back as it immediately spun, pulling out a sword and shield. “ **It can’t be frozen, it can’t be frozen!** ” she yelled, panting as she tried to get some distance. Pausing, she braced herself as it dashed forwards, and she sped out of the way, turning and slashing away with her sword repeatedly. 

As the Ice Sword shattered against the Lynels seemingly impervious skin, Pearl quickly dropped the hilt and ran, rummaging through her bag for another sword. Grabbing the hilt of the Boulder Breaker, she frowned. “ **Well, it’s the strongest thing I’ve got right now... But it’s slow... But maybe...** ” Grabbing her slate, she quickly used Stasis, and the beast paused in its rush. Quickly, she ran over and slammed the giant sword into it over and over.   
Stasis ended, and the beast let out a roar as deep cuts and rapidly darkening bruises appeared along its flank. Turning, it glared down at her, and Pearl quickly let an arrow fly into its face.   
Reeling, the Lynel shook its head as Pearl ran to get some distance. Glancing at the slate, she eyed the Lynel off. “ **Come on, come on... recharge already...** ” she muttered at the slate.   
As the beast started to charge again, Stasis recharged, and she quickly activated it, pausing the Lynel yet again. Pearl delivered strike after strike, darting away as the mysterious power wore off. 

Pearl watched the screen, watching for the rune to charge. Suddenly, she was knocked back, rolling and slipping along the wet grass. Feeling the edge of the cliff, she clung on, desperately holding to the wet rock as the beast glared at her and roared.   
Pearl jumped back up, activating Stasis again and darted forwards. Wheezing at the pain in her side, she slammed the Boulder Breaker against the Lynels side once more.   
As Stasis wore off, she risked another couple of hits. “ **Just die already!** ” she screamed. 

Suddenly, with a fierce but pained roar, the Lynel reared up, its arms falling limp at its side as it dropped the sword.   
Pearl panted as it fell to its knees, turned black and dissipated into thick dark smoke. She sighed with relief as the smoke cleared to reveal the sword, shield and bow, along with a horn and a bundle of shock arrows.   
“ **That was horrifying...** ” Pearl muttered. Looking up at the sky, she frowned. “ **Getting late... And with my luck, it’ll be a blood moon again. I’d better grab as much as I can before it returns.** ” 

Pearl groaned as she bent to pry the last arrow from the tree. “ **Shit, I think one of my ribs is broken...** ” she panted. “ **I’d better head back to Steven before I go to meet Sidon...** ” she sighed, taking one last look around the area. “ **And I am** **_never_ ** **coming here again.** ” 

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Pearl sighed with relief as the ache in her ribs faded.   
Steven moved his hand. “ **Is that okay, Pearl?** ”   
She nodded and watched the dark bruise fading away before she pulled the edge of her shirt down. “ **Yeah. Feels much better now. Thanks.** ” she ruffled his hair as he giggled.   
“ **That was a pretty serious bruise...** ” Garnet started.   
Pearl leaned back. “ **Yeah. I think maybe I broke a rib or two? Turns out,** **Lynels** **aren’t so easy to sneak around. It spotted me, and didn’t give me a chance to make any kind of escape. Damned thing body-rushed me, almost sent me flying over the edge of a cliff. It was only because of Stasis that I was able to defeat it. On the plus side, taking it out left the area clear so I could grab as many shock arrows as I could. I should have more than enough now. But still, I am** ** _definitely_** **not looking to fight one of those things again.** ” she sighed. “ **I can promise you that.** ”   
“ **Good.** ” Amethyst huffed, nuzzling into her. “ **Come back injured again, and I’m going to be so** ** _mad_** **at you.** ”   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Well, all I'm planning for tomorrow is to go and meet up with Sidon, get into the Divine Beast, fight the Blight that’s controlling it, and save the world.** **Pah** **, child’s play.** ” she waved a hand dismissively. “ **I mean, Steven’s saved the world... how many times now?** ”   
He shrugged. “ **I** **dunno** **. At least a couple...** ”   
“ **See? Child’s play.** ” Pearl grinned. 


	62. Sidon Surfing

**_The Next Morning..._ **

Pearl sighed as she reached the signpost and turned right. She ran along the path, seeing the glow of two beacons ahead. Nearing them, she spotted a flight of stairs. “ **Hmm, well, at least I don’t have to struggle to get up there.** ” she shrugged, starting up. 

Once at the top, she paused, looking around. She saw Sidon waiting at the end of a pier and nodded, glancing around for anything else of note. Spotting a wooden chest, she quickly jogged over and kicked it open, grabbing the shield within. “ **Well, I guess it’s time...** ” she muttered, turning toward Sidon. 

< ** _Glad to see you’re ready to go, Pearl!_** > he grinned. < ** _Are you ready for this? Do you have your Zora_** ** _armor_** ** _and enough shock arrows?_** >   
Pearl nodding, patting her bag. < ** _Yeah, should be enough._** >   
Sidon laughed. < ** _Wonderful! You never cease to amaze me, Pearl! Now then, let us go and appease that Divine Beast as one! Here we go!!_** > Backflipping, he dove into the water. Turning, he nodded towards the beast. < ** _Gaze now upon the Divine Beast’s back! Do you see those glowing, pink orbs? You will need to shoot each of them with a shock arrow!_** >   
Pearl nodded, her eyes roaming across the beast’s visible side. < ** _Presumably, there’s two more on the other side?_** >   
Sidon nodded. < ** _Yes. With your Zora_** ** _armor_** ** _, you now have the ability to ascend waterfalls!_** ** _So_** ** _I shall take you right up to the side of the Divine Beast, and from there you can swim up and take aim!_** >   
< ** _Sounds simple enough._** > Pearl nodded.   
Sidon grinned. < ** _I know you can do it! I believe in you!_** >

Pearl looked at him. < ** _Why though? You heard_** ** _Muzu_** ** _. You know who my father was... Why do you trust me so much?_** >   
Sidon sighed and shrugged. < ** _None of that made any sense to me. Being angry at you for the actions of your father. And besides, it’s all ancient history, that only the old ones care about. If you are willing to help us, despite all of that, then that’s good enough for me._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Okay, that’s... reasonable._** > she sighed. < ** _Well, let’s get going. I have a world to save, after all._** >   
Sidon laughed. < ** _Okay! Now hurry up and get on my back!_** >   
“ **I’m going to surf on a Zora prince...** ” she muttered, climbing on. “ **Still, it’s not the weirdest thing I’ve done recently.** ”   
< ** _Let’s get going!_** > Sidon growled, turning towards the beast. 

< ** _Ha! I am unstoppable in the water!_** > Sidon shouted as he sped towards the beast, Pearl crouched on his back with one hand holding on for dear life.   
The Divine Beast roared and shifted.   
< ** _It’s reacting to our presence!_** > Sidon called back. < ** _I’ll move away and wait for an opening before we approach!_** > he turned and circled the beast. < ** _I’ll keep going at full speed! It's up to you to ward off_** ** _Ruta’s_** ** _attacks!_** >   
Pearl nodded and watched as large blocks of ice started to form. “ **Shit...** ” Quickly she grabbed the slate and switched to the Cryonis rune, using it to shatter the large blocks before they could reach them.   
< ** _Great!_** > Sidon called. < ** _Get ready to swim!_** > Rushing forwards, he darted for the waterfalls gashing from the side of Ruta. 

Pearl nodded and dove in, heading straight up the waterfall. At the top, she soared high, yanking out the glider. Grabbing her bow with one hand, she flipped upside down and took out two shock arrows. She put one between her teeth and dangled from the glider, drawing the bow and firing towards the pink orb. As the arrow flew, she quickly nocked the other arrow and drew it, sending it towards the second orb nearby.   
Grinning as they both turned green, she flipped up and hit the quick-release on the glider, folding it up as she dropped to the water. < ** _That’s two orbs sorted!_** > she yelled to Sidon as he sped to collect her.   
< ** _Excellent! Now we need to get to the other side!_** >

Pearl kept the Cryonis rune ready as they came around the front of the beast. Her eyes widened at the large spiked balls of ice that were already ready to fire. Quickly, she shattered them in quick succession, and Sidon raced towards the waterfall. < ** _It’s up to you, Pearl!_** >   
She darted up, firing two more arrows, grinning as the orbs turned green.   
As she landed in the water below, Sidon raced over and grinned as she climbed onto his back. < ** _You did it!_** > he laughed.   
They watched as the beast’s trunk dropped into the water, the geyser no longer spewing into the air. The rain stopped, and even the clouds seemed to fade away.   
< ** _Pearl, look! The water spouting from_** ** _Ruta_** ** _has slowed down!_** >   
< ** _It won’t be like this for long!_** > Pearl tapped Sidon. < ** _I need to get in there now, or we’ll have to do that all over again!_** >   
Sidon nodded, quickly swimming over to the beast’s side. As Pearl stepped onto the small platform, Sidon grinned at her. < ** _Good luck! We're counting on you to do good work in there!_** >   
Pearl smirked. < ** _Buddy, I always do my best work. See you back at the Domain, in clear blue skies!_** > she called as she ran into the Beasts interior. 

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Pearl slowed as she neared the familiar pedestal. Touching the slate to it, she watched the travel gate activate, and waited. < ** _Mipha_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _I must say... that I do not recognise you..._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _That’s fair. Long story short? The goddess_** ** _Farore_** ** _sent me to help. Link’s still sleeping off his injuries. She worried he won’t wake up in time to be useful, so I’m_** ** _kinda_** ** _paving the way for him. If I can free the Divine Beasts, then he can take care of_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** > she tapped the Zora armor on her chest. < ** _Don’t worry, I'll make sure he gets this too._** >   
Mipha seemed to pause, taking it all in. < ** _You are here to free_** ** _Ruta_** ** _from_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _control?_** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yep. I've already taken care of the other three._** ** _Medoh_** ** _,_** ** _Rudania_** ** _and_** ** _Naboris_** ** _, in that order. I know the routine about activating all the terminals and all that, so hang on, and_** ** _Ruta_** ** _will be free in no time._** >   
< ** _...Thank you, stranger._** >

Pearl ran up the ramp, shooting the eyeball with an arrow without pausing. Ahead, she spotted a small guardian and quickly sniped it from the top of the ramp, watching as it exploded. She saw another eyeball in the water nearby and fired at that, easily clearing the room.   
“ **Huh. I’m getting better at this.** ” she mused, grabbing the small spring the Guardian Scout had left behind.   
Running across the shallowly covered walkway, she paused to grab a chest from the water with Magnesis. “ **Another spring, great.** ” she sighed, putting it away. 

After collecting the Beast’s map, she returned to the previous room. Looking around, she saw a cogwheel on the wall and high above, some more Malice goo that she couldn’t clear. “ **Hmm... too high up right now. I guess I’ll get that later.** ” she shrugged, using Magnesis to turn the wheel.   
Nearby, a terminal rose up slowly from the water, and once it was clear, she walked over and activated it.   
Walking away, she looked at the various doorways around the room. “ **Hmm... Down there’s the main control unit, so that’s where the Blight battle will happen... that’s where I came in... map room... I guess I’ll go this way now.** ” 

Moving up the ramp on Ruta’s exterior, she paused to destroy another small Guardian Scout before entering the room. “ **Well, this room is going to be hell...** ” she muttered, looking at the slowly spinning waterwheel and the stationary one beyond. Looking over the edge, she nodded at the room below. “ **Yep, same one from before.** ”   
Moving back towards the spinning waterwheel, she frowned. “ **That’s a terminal... But I won’t be able to reach it in the water... Block with ice.** ” Nodding, she waited as the wheel spun. Once the terminal was near the base, she used Cryonis to block the flow of water, stopping the wheel from spinning. Jumping over, she activated the terminal and swam towards the long ramp nearby to leave the pool of water. 

Crouching, she activated Revali’s Gale, soaring high. Spotting a chest on a ledge, she easily glided over and kicked it open, finding a silver rupee. Looking around, she nodded. “ **Right, time to screw around with this things’ settings.** ” she muttered, taking out the slate. Cautiously, she tried various settings for the trunk until finally, she found one that get the second waterwheel spinning. “ **Good. Now, let’s see about figuring this one out.** ”   
Standing by, she watched the second wheel spin. Her eyes widened as she spotted a chest trapped in Malice goo. “ **Okay,** **gotta** **try to get that...** ” Jumping onto the next tooth of the wheel, she turned and fired an arrow at the eyeball, freeing the chest. Grabbing the bundle of fire arrows, she rode the wheel until she spotted a platform with another Guardian Scout. Jumping over, she aimed for its eye, landing as it exploded.   
“ **Huh, not much here, except that switch.** ” Shrugging, she stepped on it, watching as a waterfall was activated. “ **A** **h! It’s a shortcut back up here. Neat.** ” Looking around, she saw the walkway leading into the waterwheel. “ **There next.** ” she nodding, taking out the glider. 

Looking into the waterwheel, she watched as an orb dropped into a socket, lowering a gate in front of another terminal. Watching as the blocked terminal slowly went past, she nodded. “ **Okay,** **gotta** **stop the orb from falling so the gate will be open, allowing me to reach the terminal. Easy enough.** ” she said, standing back with the slate at the ready as the wheel spun.   
Once the terminal was activated, she looked at the chest sandwiched between two concrete slabs. “ **Hmm... Stasis again, I think...** ” 

Using the waterfall to return to the top of the room, she veered away, opening a chest high up to find a Knight’s Halberd. Dropping back down to the floor with the switch, she entered the corridor nearby.   
Pausing, she looked up. “ **OH! That’s the trunk! I guess I** **gotta** **lower it now.** ”   
As the trunk moved, she saw the Malic goo and eyeball coating it, with a chest trapped beyond. Gliding down, she destroyed a Bokoskull before destroying the eyeball, opening the chest for an ancient shaft. Looking around and up at the ledge above her, she shrugged. “ **Hmm, well, I could raise, lower and raise the trunk again... But I can probably just reach that with** **Revali’s** **Gale...** ”   
Standing on the trunk, she walked carefully as it rotated beneath her. Her eyes widened as she spotted another terminal, and waited until the trunk had settled before walking over to it. “ **Well, that one was well hidden...** ” 

Looking over the beast’s back using the scope, she spotted another chest coated in Malice goo to her left. “ **Right. There first, then... over there.** ”   
Landing, she glanced around. “ **Hmmm... Oh! The eyeball’s over there.** ” Shrugging, she took out a Golden Bow, taking careful aim between two spires of malice goo. The eyeball burst, and the goo nearby disappeared, freeing the chest. “ **Too easy.** ”   
Looking around the area, she spotted a small square hole on the top of the beasts’ head. “ **I w** **o** **nder what’s in there?** ” she mused, taking out the glider. 

Landing on a small ledge, she quickly destroyed the eyeball above, and the skull that had spawned as she had landed. Shrugging, she used Magnesis to turn the cogwheel, noticing that the ceiling above her was opening up.   
Looking at the flames surrounding the terminal below, she grinned as she took out the slate. “ **This is** ** _way_** **too easy...** ”   
Nodding, Pearl turned away from the terminal. “ **Right, now the main control unit, the Blight, and I’m done.** ”   
Gliding down, she landed on the now stationary big waterwheel, carefully walked along the narrow edge to get around a tooth before gliding over the second wheel to reach the top of the fountain that turned it. Finally, she dropped down into the large room with the control terminal, gliding safely to the ground.   
“ **Okay, I might have a quick snack or something before the fight.** ” she muttered, looking around for some dry ground to settle on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


	63. Waterblight

Pearl sighed as she watched the sunrise through the window. “ **Well, time to fight.** ” she said, jumping down to the floor below.   
Walking over to the control unit, she sighed. < ** _Okay, you know the drill as well as I do. I try to start this thing, you jump out, we fight, you die. So cut the useless posturing and let’s get started already._** > she muttered as she tapped the slate to the unit.   
Pearl was almost yawning as she watched the Blight form and stretch, one hand turning into a long glowing blue spear.   
She had one hand already reaching for the Master Sword. < ** _Get on with it already! I have places to be!_** > she called, drawing the sword. 

< ** _Please take care._** > Mipha softly spoke. < ** _That... thing is one of_** ** _Ganon’s_** ** _creations. I put up as much of a fight as I could, but it proved to be my demise one hundred years ago..._** >   
< ** _Yeah, yeah... I know. This isn’t my first Divine Beast._** > Pearl said, her eyes on the monster before her.   
< ** _Regardless... I believe that you are well prepared for this moment. I have faith in you!_** >

As the Blight raised its spear, Pearl rushed forwards, getting under its radius as it threw the spear, and started wailing away with the Master Sword. The spear was magically summoned back to its hands, and it prepared to strike the ground near her as she continued to strike it.   
Suddenly, it reeled back, turning into blue light and reforming some distance away.   
“ **Halfway there...** ” Pearl muttered. “ **What are you** **gonna** **do now?** ” 

Pearl watched as it raised one hand above its head. The room started to flood, water gushing in from unseen vents, and Pearl quickly scrambled onto one of the now floating platforms. “ **Okay, that make this a little harder...** ” she muttered.   
The Beast moved its hands, summoning a row of large ice blocks. “ **Cryonis** **.** ” she sighed, taking out the slate.   
Easily, she shattered the ice blocks and drew her bow, firing a shock arrow towards the Blight’s face. 

The Blight fell to the platform, and Pearl dove into the water, swimming quickly to reach the platform.   
As she pulled herself up, the Blight recovered and disappeared, drifting over and reappearing over another platform.   
< ** _Stand still, dipshit..._** > she muttered, drawing her bow again. 

Once again, the beast dropped, and Pearl didn’t hesitant to use Revali’s Gale, soaring up and over the water rapidly.   
Quickly, she darted to the Blight, slashing away with the Master Sword.   
All too soon, the Blight recovered, and Pearl growled with frustration as it moved away, summoning more ice blocks.   
She fired two arrows in quick succession. One shattered the middle ice block, the other hit the Blight, stopping the attack.   
Pearl smirked as the remaining blocks fell into the water. “ **Ha! Take that!** ” she yelled, firing another arrow at the Blight. 

Suddenly, it reeled up and roared, writhing in pain above her. With a final scream, it exploded with light.   
Pearl watched the water drain from the room with a sigh. “ **Damn, that was a pain...** ” she muttered as the heart shaped container floated down in front of her.   
Pearl collected it and continued towards the control unit. Tapping the slate to it, she waited as it started to glow blue.   
< ** _Because of your courage, my spirit is now free. And_** ** _Ruta_** ** _as well. Thank you_**.>

Pearl turned to see the young Zora woman rise from a nearby pond of water. The blue flames around her legs shimmered and glowed strongly. < ** _Don’t worry about it._** >   
Mipha smiled. < ** _You’d said that you will ensure that the Link receives that_** ** _armor_** ** _?_** >   
< ** _Yeah, along with whatever gift you have. He’ll also get_** ** _Revali’s_** ** _Gale,_** ** _Daruk’s_** ** _Protection and_** ** _Urbosa’s_** ** _Fury._** > Pearl said, showing her the three medallions.   
Mipha nodded. < ** _Since I am now a spirit, my healing power would be wasted on me. I have no need of it. So therefore... I would like you to have it, on behalf of Link. Please accept,_** ** _Mipha’s_** ** _Grace._** >   
Pearl watched as she created the shimmering blue medallion. She easily plucked it out of the air, and nodded. < ** _He’ll get it, don’t worry._** >

< ** _Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But then, you arrive. Please, tell me your name, strange_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _?_** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Uhh_** ** _... Okay, you’re not_** ** _gonna_** ** _like this, but let me just say, that_** ** _Farore_** ** _brought me back to help Hyrule, and your father and brother have already decided that I'm truly here to help, and are willing to put the past behind them._** >   
Mipha looked at her curiously. < ** _You spoke with them?_** >   
< ** _Yeah..._** > Pearl sighed. < ** _Um... My name’s Pearl. Yeah... That one..._** >

Mipha’s eyes widened. < ** _You..._** >   
< ** _Yeah, like I said, they’ve decided to ignore that, and to let me help. And hey, I freed you, so that’s_** ** _gotta_** ** _count for something, right?_** > Pearl shrugged half-heartedly as she nervously grinned.   
Mipha sighed. < ** _I detect no falsehoods in your words. If you were truly sent by the goddesses, and my dear father and little brother have already accepted your help... I am already in your debt._** >   
Pearl shrugged. < ** _Nah... Consider this repaying a debt. For what my... He... tried to do so long ago._** >   
Mipha nodded. < ** _I must go._** ** _Ruta_** ** _and I have our roles to fulfil. We’ll annihilate Ganon together._** >   
< ** _Unless Link wakes up in time. Then you’ll be working with him._** > Pearl nodded as she started to glow with white lights. 

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A mighty roar was heard, echoing over the hills.   
The group turned and looked out towards the dam wall, watching as a giant mechanical elephant rose out of the water and started trudging across the mountain ridge.   
“ **Whoa... She’s done it!** ” Steven grinned.   
Connie watched the beast trudge towards a flat plateau. “ **That’s all four Divine Beasts!** ” she laughed.   
“ **Woo!** ” Garnet cheered.   
Amethyst looked around. “ **She should be reappearing around here any moment now...** ” 

< ** _Ruta_** ** _, we’ve finally found a way to be useful to Link. And... the other Champions, of course._** > Mipha added with a blush. < ** _Using your ability to drain_** ** _Ganon_** ** _of his power is key to our success. This is it. This will be our last chance... and everyone’s last hope. If we seal him away, then we can restore peace to Hyrule. And both your duty and mine will be fulfilled._** >   
Mipha looked towards the Domain sadly. < ** _Father, are you well, I wonder... I want you to know... I have always followed my heart. I'm sorry I made you worry... I wish I could see you again... Even just once more..._** >

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Pearl sighed as she reappeared at the end of the long bridge leading into Zora’s Domain. Examining the medallion in her hand, she nodded and tucked it into her bag before strolling past the two nearby guards, who looked startled to see her suddenly appear.   
“ **Pearl!** ” Amethyst tackled her to the floor happily. “ **You did it!** ”   
< ** _Pearl..._** >   
Pearl grinned. “ **Too easy.** ” she paused. “ **Huh? Did you hear that?** ”   
“ **Hear what?** ” Connie asked, reaching down for a fist-bump.   
< ** _...Pearl..._** >   
Pearl tapped her fist and glanced around. “ **There it is again... Someone’s said my name...** ”   
They looked around. “ **Pearl, there’s no-one else talking except us.** ” Garnet looked at her with concern.   
< ** _._** ** _..Pearl..._** >   
She stood up, looking around nervously. “ **This is freaking me out... Quiet. Maybe it's one of the goddesses, telling me what to do next?** ”   
< ** _Thanks to you, all of the Divine Beasts have returned to us and the spirits of the Champions are free. We will all be awaiting your clash with_** ** _Ganon_** ** _at Hyrule Castle._** >

As the voice fell silent, Pearl heard a beep from the slate. Taking it out, she examined it. “ **Okay, no idea who that was, but... She wants me to go fight** **Ganon** **now, which isn’t** **gonna** **happen. And the slate wants me to report back to** **Dorephan** **about freeing** **Ruta** **, and also to tell** **Impa** **that I’ve freed all four beasts...** ” she shrugged, putting the slate away.   
“ **You’re hearing voices now? Should we be concerned?** ” Amethyst joked half-heartedly.   
Pearl rolled her eyes. “ **Eh, I've always had voices in my head. Surface and all that. This voice is new...** ”   
“ **Pearl, you’re crazy...** ” Connie sighed, shaking her head with a smile.   
“ **Oh, like you hadn’t already figured that out.** ” Pearl grinned. “ **Come on. I'd better report to Dorephan. Then, I gotta take care of a shrine I spotted from** **Shatterback** **Point.** ” 

< ** _Pearl! You did well to survive your trial! I didn’t think you would return..._** >   
Sidon laughed. < ** _Father! I told you she’d be able to do it!_** >   
Dorephan looked up to the sky. < ** _The violent downpour has disappeared, as has the threat to Zora’s Domain! It is all little more than a bad dream now. Thanks to your efforts, there is no longer any danger of a great flood laying waste to Hyrule!_** >   
Behind them, the group nervously watched as many Zora assembled.   
< ** _You appeased the Divine Beast Vah_** ** _Ruta_** ** _and thusly saved Zora’s Domain! We are all truly grateful! What you did for us is more than we could have ever expected of you._** > Dorephan looked out across the assembled masses. < ** _Pearl..._** > he started, creating a stir in the crowd. < ** _I must sincerely apologise for our harsh treatment of you. You were simply thinking of Hyrule’s and Lady_** ** _Mipha’s_** ** _well-being, just like the rest of us..._** >   
Pearl blushed. < ** _Well, of course. I'm only here to help stop_** ** _Ganon_** ** _._** >   
< ** _All of the members of our council,_** ** _Muzu_** ** _included, humbly fold our fins back in gratitude, along with the rest of our people._** >

Pearl glanced back to see the crowd pause, and then nervously set their fins behind their backs and bowed.   
Muzu scowled and finally followed suit, bowing briefly before straightening.   
Blushing, she turned back to Dorephan. < ** _Thank you..._** >   
< ** _Pearl! I must reward your efforts! Now then! I implore you to collect the treasure inside that chest over there. It was cherished by_** ** _Mipha_** ** _. A memento of sorts. I would like you to have it as a token of our friendship. Please take good care of it._** > he gazed out over the crowd again. < ** _Pearl, all of the Zora thank you from the depths of our hearts for your heroic and selfless work! From this day forth, Pearl of the_** ** _Gerudo_** ** _is freely welcomed in the lands of the Zora!_** >

Pearl stared in shock. < ** _Uh... thank you!_** > she blushed deeply as her friends cheered behind her.   
< ** _And you, Sidon._** > Dorephan looked at his son. < ** _As your father, I am proud of you for fighting the Divine Beast alongside Pearl. You have grown much recently. I know you will be a worthy heir when your time comes._** >   
Sidon bowed his head. < ** _Father... I... Thank you!_** >   
Dorephan looked up. < ** _The heavy rains have stopped, and the Divine Beast is our ally once again! How glorious! Truly splendid!_** > he laughed. 

Sidon walked over to Pearl. < ** _Pearl! Thank you so much! Truly, I could never thank you enough! You helped save our home from vanishing away! This calls for a top-tier expression of gratitude! ZO! ZO! RA_** ** _RA_** ** _RA!_** > he started chanting happily. Sighing, he looked at her. < ** _With all of my heart... Thank you!_** >   
Pearl stood beside Sidon, blushing furiously as the crowd cheered. Amethyst whistled loudly as Steven and Connie clapped furiously and Garnet cheered. 


	64. Problem Solving

As the crowd dispersed, Pearl sighed and stood beside Amethyst, one arm draped across the shorter gems’ shoulder. “ **Well, that was an experience...** ”   
“ **At least they don’t hate you anymore.** ” Garnet smiled.   
Pearl sighed deeply. “ **That’s a relief, I'll tell you that. When he said my name in front of everyone, I thought there was** **gonna** **be a lynching...** ”   
“ **So, what now?** ” Connie asked.   
Pearl shrugged. “ **Well, there’s that shrine I told you about, that I spotted from up there?** ” she poked a thumb back towards Shatterback Point. “ **Then I suppose I should start looking around for any remaining shrines.** ”   
Connie nodded. “ **Before you go, Steven might have found a shrine while you were gone.** ” 

Steven nodded. “ **I was talking to this Zora girl, who might have been older than me, I** **dunno** **... But she said something about a festival song. Let’s see... <** ** _A gift from the sky, a scale of light... splits the feet of a veiled falls sight... your trial awaits, it’s glowing bright..._** **> It’s a bit short, but that’s what she told me.**” he shrugged.   
Pearl nodded, taking out the slate. “ **Hmm... Oh! There it is. Veiled Falls. To the west of here. Okay, now I just** **gotta** **figure out the gift from the sky, and the scale of light...** ” she frowned. “ **It’d better not be another dragon scale...** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **She said that someone called Trello was supposed to do something. Maybe if we find him, we can get another clue?** ”   
Pearl smiled. “ **Okay.** ” 

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“ **Right, he said that he dropped the trident around here somewhere...** ” Pearl muttered, looking over the edge of the bridge.   
Steven looked over. “ **How are you** **gonna** **find? He could have dropped it anywhere...** ”   
Connie pointed back towards the bridge into the Domain. “ **There’s a ladder over there you can use.** ”   
Pearl smirked. “ **Ladders? I don’t need ladders...** ” she grinned, climbing onto the railing and leaping over.   
They watched in amazement as she slipped into the water with a splash, surfacing quickly. “ **Whoa!** ” 

Swimming over to the nearest dry surface, Pearl stood and scanned the river with Magnesis. “ **Nope, not here...** ” she walked further along, trying again and again. Finally, she spotted something glowing deep in the water. “ **Found it!** ” she called up.   
Above, they watched as a pillar of ice rose from the water, and Pearl swam out to it. Creating another one, she then used Magnesis to pull a long thin trident from the water, putting it into her bag. “ **That was easy.** ” Connie mused.   
Pearl crouched and sprung up, soaring high into the air. Easily, she glided over and landed on the walkway above them, smirking down at them as she put the glider away. “ **And that, is that.** ” she laughed. 

After Garnet helped them climb up to the walkway, they followed Pearl along to the nearby path. “ **According to the map, this should take us to the Veiled Falls.** ” Pearl said, leading them along.   
“ **Look! A fox!** ” Steven grinned excitedly.   
Pearl smiled. “ **Yeah. You'll be happy to know that I don’t bother killing them. They don’t try and attack me, they always run away. There's no threat to me, so I'm no threat to them.** ”   
Steven nodded. “ **Good.** ”   
“ **But everything else is fair game.** ” she added with a smirk.   
“ **Pearl!** ” he gasped, scandalised, as she laughed. 

“ **Okay, here’s the falls. And a nice flat pedestal in the water, good. There's definitely a shrine around here. Gift from the sky...** ” she looked up. “ **Maybe I'm supposed to do something from above the pedestal?** ”   
They watched as she quickly swam up the waterfall, disappearing from view. After a moment, she reappeared, gliding down slowly. “ **Nothing up there. Or at least, nothing to do with a shrine!** ” she called down.   
“ **Okay!** ” Connie called back up. “ **Maybe there’s another clue down here somewhere?** ”   
Pearl looked down at the pedestal, glowing orange under the water, then back at the trident on her back. ‘ _Lightscale_ _trident..._ _Hmmm... This is_ _gonna_ _freak ‘_ _em_ _out, but... it’s worth a shot..._ ’ 

They watched as Pearl suddenly folded up the glider, dropping down rapidly. “ **Pearl?!** ”   
Suddenly, she grabbed the trident from her back and slammed into the pedestal, a small shock wave rippling out and churning the water.   
As Pearl placed the trident on her back, they watched as the pedestal turned blue and the ground started rumbling. Staring, they could only watch as a shrine rose from the ground nearby, dirt falling from it.   
“ **Yeah, thought as much.** ” Pearl mused as she waded back to shore.   
“ ** _Pearl?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!_** ” Amethyst shouted.   
Pearl laughed. “ **Sorry, but it was the only thing that I could think of that might work. And hey! It did.** ” she pointed at the new shrine. 

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“ **Whew, at least it was a freebie.** ” Pearl sighed as she stepped out. “ **Well, the next shrine is a fair distance away, So, you guys** **wanna** **head back to** **Hateno** **, or wait here until I’ve cleared some more shrines?** ”   
Garnet shrugged. “ **We should head back to** **Hateno** **, dry out.** ”   
Pearl nodded. “ **Okay. Everyone** **grab** **on.** ” 

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Pearl appeared near the Divine Beast with a sigh. “ **Okay** **Ruta** **, hang in there.** ” she jogged around it, looking down over the landscape below. “ **Ah! There it is. Yeah, I should be able to reach that from here...** ” she muttered, reaching for the glider. 

As she neared the shrine below, she frowned at the sight of several patrolling Lizalfos. “ **Hmm... that complicates matters... And with this headwind, there’s no chance of going over them...** ” she veered off to her left, settling down on a grassy cliff. Jogging across the top, she reached a higher spot over-looking the shrine. “ **Yeah, here should do. Unless the winds are magically protecting it...** ” 

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Pearl sighed and looked across the thorns. “ **Right, where to next?** ” she examined the map. “ **If I go around there... Yeah, there might be something there...** ” 

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Pearl sighed as she stood on top of Shatterback Point. “ **Whew... Okay. If I hop over to Tal** **Tal** **Peak, I can work my way down there...** ” she nodded, putting the slate away after setting some beacons. 

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As she settled on the sand, her lips turned up in a smile as she heard a familiar tune. “ **Kass... There is** **_definitely_ ** **a shrine around here.** ” 

< ** _Hey, Kass!_** > she called.   
Kass stopped playing and look at her in shock. < ** _Oh! It’s you! Although I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here._** >   
Pearl laughed. < ** _Yeah, I do get around, huh? So, any songs about this place?_** >   
Kass smiled. < ** _Of course. Without further ado..._**   
**_He breaks the rocks that serve to bind,_**   
**_Above the tempestuous bay._**   
**_On wings of cloth and wind combined,_**   
**_He lands on the altar to open the way._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Very nice, Kass._** >   
Kass smiled. < ** _The ‘tempestuous bay’ from the song could be this very bay. But what sort of wings are made from cloth and wood?_** >   
Pearl tapped the glider hanging behind her. < ** _Oh, I think I have an idea about that._** >

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As the last pile of rubble disintegrated, Pearl looked back towards the pedestal. “ ** _Hmm... Wind looks strong enough now. I just need to get this right..._** ” she muttered, pulling out the glider. 

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Looking at her slate, Pearl nodded. “ **Okay, yeah I should check out those islands next. I mean, I'm in the general area...** ” she shrugged. “ **But maybe I should warp there first? Oh, I can spend the night checking out** **Tarrey** **Town while I'm in the area. Make sure everyone made it safely.** ” 

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Pearl landed near one of the houses and looked around. “ **Huh. They've come a long way since I was here last...** ” she mused, wondering around. She waved at Rhondson as she tended to a small tear in some clothes, Fryson as he placed items on a table to sell and Pelison as he pointed excitedly at the gems scattered across his table.   
< ** _You_** ** _wanna_** ** _buy?!_** > he yelled.   
Pearl laughed. < ** _I’ll have a look later, okay?_** >

Spotting Hudson, she walked over. < ** _Hey. Looks likes this place is up and running._** >   
Hudson smiled widely. < ** _Yes! It’s all thanks to you!_** ** _However_** ** _..._** >   
Pearl tilted her head. < ** _Yes?_** >   
< ** _Well, it’s kind of a personal matter..._** > he blushed, glancing over at Rhondson. < ** _I got engaged!_** >   
< ** _Congratulations!_** > she glanced at Rhondson and waved, grinning.   
The taller Gerudo woman smiled and blushed.   
Hudson sighed. < ** _Anyway, we want to have a little ceremony to celebrate, but we need someone preist-like to officiate. Could you look for someone like that for us?_** >

Pearl shrugged. < ** _Sure, I can try. I can’t s_** ** _ay_** ** _that I've encountered anyone like that so far, but maybe I just haven’t talked to the right person yet._** >   
Hudson nodded. < ** _If we’re looking for people devout enough to have a preist-like person... I’d suggest the Zora._** >   
Pearl nodded. < ** _Yeah, they’d be a good bet._** >   
< ** _Good luck! You'll need it... This seems like a real long shot._** >   
Pearl sighed. < ** _Yeah. Especially with a name ending in ‘son’... Okay, I'll go have a look for you._** >

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Pearl stepped away from the shrine and looked around. “ **Okay... priestly type Zora... Hmm...** ” she shrugged. “ **I guess I just wander around talking to people until I find the right guy.** ” 

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Sighing, she looked out over Tarrey Town. “ **Okay, that’s Kapson on the way. I should check out those islands before seeing if Hudson needs anything else for the wedding...** ” 

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Looking out across the chasm, Pearl groaned softly. “ **Oh no...** **Moblins** **, Guardian** **Skywatchers** **, and a high drop into... yep** **Lizalfos** **infested water. Ugh, this had better be worth it...** ” she sighed, started across the rickety wooden bridge.   
Pausing, she examined the guardian with the slate. “ **Okay, inactive. That's good.** ” she sighed. “ **But,** **also a hint that there might be live ones up ahead. I’d better go carefully.** ” 

Crossing over to the next island, she cautiously climbed up the small grassy hill, looking down and towards the next island. “ **Oh, there’s a Skywatcher down there too...** ” 

Easily, she crossed over to Knuckle and then Ankel Island, pausing before the final bridge. “ **Yikes... This one's a long one... How is it even still standing?!** ” she muttered. “ **Hmm... Well, according to the slate, there’s a shrine down there, so I don’t have much choice here... I’ll have to time the crossing of that bridge carefully, so the Guardian doesn’t see me, but... Maybe I can glide over the top?** ” she looked to her right, where a strong updraft whirled. 

Pearl darted behind the grass covered outcrop. “ **Ugh,** **Octoroks** **. Okay, I'll have to deal with them, then try to lift that slab...** ” 

With a sigh, Pearl stabbed the last Octorok with the trident, and watched as it exploded. “ **Good riddance.** ” she muttered. “ **At least I got some balloons to lift that slab with.** ” she shrugged, jumping down to the slab. Taking out one of the balloons, she quickly tied it through a small hole on the edge of the slab and watched it rise up, revealing a narrow crack in the rock below. Jumping down, she smiled at the sight of the shrine, and quickly went to the pedestal to open the door.   
Hearing a small pop, she turned to see the slab come crashing down through the crack.   
“ **Holy shit...** ” she breathed as it settled flat. “ **Glad I wasn’t standing there...** ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next weekend!


End file.
